


Beginner's Luck

by SageofSpice



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Blow Jobs in a Car, Carnival, First Dates, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Fix-It, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Food, Hand Feeding, Holding Hands, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pining, Plans For The Future, Protectiveness, Public Display of Affection, Resolved Sexual Tension, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Tension, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2020-07-20 00:10:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19982836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageofSpice/pseuds/SageofSpice
Summary: Alexei returns to Murray triumphant, proudly hugging a life size plush of his newfound American cartoon hero. He is beaming and blushing so brightly that Murray feels like he's basking in a sunbeam."I can't believe it! No one ever wins these games! You must have gotten lucky," Murray teases him once they've reunited.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Standard text is English.  
>  _Italicized text is Russian._
> 
> Chapter 1/?
> 
> Enjoy! ♡

Alexei returns to Murray triumphant, proudly hugging a life size plush of his newfound American cartoon hero. He is beaming and blushing so brightly that Murray feels like he's basking in a sunbeam.

" _I can't believe it! No one ever wins these games! You must have gotten lucky,_ " Murray teases him once they've reunited.

" _All I needed was good aim..._ " Alexei said, shrugging and looking slightly smug, " _...and I nailed it!_ "

Murray grins. He offers Alexei a corndog and says grandly, " _To the victor!_ " 

" _Thank you!_ " Alexei says, blushing even brighter. As Alexei takes hold of the stick, his fingers press down alongside Murray's, the contact hot and electric. Murray removes his hand slowly, his muscles suddenly stiff and shaky. His smile is frozen while watches Alexei expectantly. Alexei goes a little adorably cross-eyed as he brings the corn dog closer for inspection.

It's fresh and warm, and its sweet, savory aroma draws him in. Murray's jaw slackens as Alexei sniffs it before he opens his watering mouth wide and takes a bite. His deep, delighted hum as he chews thrums warmly through Murray's chest. The smooth roll of his throat when he swallows makes Murray's pulse spike. Murray's eyes dart away, his face hearing up. He clears his throat.

" _You, uh... you like it?_ " Murray asks lightly. He peeks back up through his lashes and sees Alexei enthusiastically nodding, his mouth already full of another bite. Murray grins shakily, then takes a bite of his own. His eyebrows rise and he hums involuntary in surprise. These **are** good. Much better than he'd remembered. 

" _Ah! You like it too!_ " Alexei giggles, his eyes glittering. Murray chuckles as he takes another bite, then hums again in agreement. 

" _I really do! Damn that's delicious. Mmph,_ " Murray mumbles around his mouthful. He gulps it down and slowly takes another bite, acutely aware of Alexei's unwavering gaze on him. Murray lets his eyes fall shut as he chews, needing a moment to think, because all of Alexei's body language has been saying that he's attracted to him. As excited as Murray was by the possibility, he first needed to be certain, absolutely, completely certain, before he did anything he'd regret.

When Murray reopened his eyes and saw Alexei still staring, still softly smiling, Murray gulped hard. He smiled back, then turned aside on unsteady legs and briefly brushed his fingers over Alexei's back to encourage him to turn with him and follow along. They began to walk, side by side, down the bright and busy carnival alley.

" _Do you want to play a game now that I have proven that they can be won?_ " Alexei teases. 

Murray instinctively starts to shake his head and say he's still sure the games are by and large bullshit but he bites his tongue. Alexei quickly catches his hesitation and amends sincerely, and much more hopefully, " _Or we could go on a ride?_ " 

Murray sighs with relief. He sucks on his teeth, then angles a wicked smirk toward Alexei and says, " _Maybe if they have bumper cars._ "

" _Why bumper cars?_ " Alexei asks with interest.  
Murray takes another bite of his corndog as he considers for a moment, then answeres dryly, " _Because it's a socially accepted microcosm of anarchy and I find it hilarious._ " 

Alexei stares at him for a second before catching the glint in his eye as he finishes off his corn dog, then he laughs, Murray joins in, and they start the search.

☆☆☆☆☆ 

They find the large arena easily, with its huge tent covering a wide rectangular metal floor and colorful cars scattered around everywhere within. On their way through the gate, after taking the tickets, the attendant offers to take Alexei's plush to hold for him during his ride, but Alexei retreats behind Murray, who wards the attendant off with a fierce glare, a cold grin and a hissed, "No, thanks. He's got it." 

They find two cars next to each other, one red and one blue. Alexei secures Woody in his lap, buckling the seatbelt over them both. While they wait for the power to switch on, Murray looks askance at Alexei with amusement and wonders if he is at all aware of the entendres he's currently invoking. Alexei leans toward him, raising an eyebrow. 

" _So - what happens if I bump you?_ " Alexei asks with exaggerated innocence. Murray shakes his head and smirks back wickedly. 

" _Try it only if you're feeling very brave,_ " Murray dares him. Alexei narrows his eyes and smiles sharply. He leans over even closer, so close Murray can feel his breath falling soft and warm on his skin. It smells like corndog. Murray suppresses a sigh. 

" _I do. So I hope you're ready,_ " Alexei warns him quietly, " _Because I'm going to get you._ " 

Murray feels a quiver of anticipation in the base of his belly and he's suddenly almost ready to confirm his suspicions right then and there. He draws a deep breath and opens his mouth to retort before knowing what he'll say, but the sounds of the cars going live interrupts him, and he realizes as Alexei withdraws, that what he had **really** been seconds away from doing wasn't speaking; it was kissing. 

Murrays face ignites. He was slipping, falling fast. It was time to play a little hard to get. 

Slamming down the accelerator, Murray wagged the wheel to give Alexei's car a sassy little tap before he fully pealed away and set to work on giving a few kids a hard time. He jammed his car between them and their true targets, breaking their momentum and forcing them to reverse and go around. The schadenfreude was fleetingly sweet but ultimately unsatisfying. 

His eyes wander and he soon spots Alexei circling the perimeter, avoiding everyone around him as much as possible. He seems to be practicing controlling the car, warming up to it, learning it. Murray feels himself sinking deeper, hopelessly taken in by this boyant, beautiful, brilliant man. Their eyes meet, their glasses glinting amid the surrounding lights, and they grin at each other playfully. Alexei turns toward him. Murray's heart skips. He quickly moves to a more open area where he'll have more room to dodge him, and when Alexei swerves to strike, Murray matches his momentum. They find their cars circling tightly, their bumpers just inches away as they turn, spinning, staring and laughing delightedly. 

" _Almost!_ " Murray teases before pulling away and erratically dodging past some other drivers. He hears Alexei's giggle before he sees him again, pulling up alongside him and gradually forcing him toward a wall. Murray reverses to escape, but Alexei anticipated, backing up into the front of his car to jolt a thrill through Murray. Murray gasps theatrically at Alexei, who is looking devilishly at him from over his shoulder. Alexei throws him a wink, and then throws his wheel around to zip off with a taunting laugh. 

Murray bites his lower lip to keep himself from screaming. This is it. This is love. He knows it when he sees it and this is it and this time it is finally, **finally** , for him. 

Murray drives after Alexei without finesse. All he wants is to be close, to see his smile and hear his laughter loud and clear while he chases him. They zoom around the floor and dodge past anyone in their path until they reach a clearing with enough space for Alexei to spin his car around so he can drive backwards, facing Murray. He's showing off and it's working. His exhileration was intoxicating. At this rate the ride would be over before Murray would be able to catch him and at this point he was **desperate** to. 

" _Ahh! Let me get you!_ " Murray cries, whining comedically. Cackling, Alexei let go of the wheel and his car started wavering and weaving wildly and Murray manages to crash into him. Together, their cars smack into a wall just moments before the ride powers down. 

With sweat damp curls clinging to his forehead and bright red cheeks, his body arched back in his seat while he pants through his wildly pleased smile, Alexei looks utterly debauched. It's almost too much to take. Murray crosses his wrists over his wheel and bows his head down over them, needing a moment to collect himself before unbuckling the seatbelt and slowly standing up on stiff, unsteady legs. 

Alexei stands by his side with Woody tucked under one arm and the other wrapping supportively around Murray's shoulders. He leans in close. Murray slings his arm loosely around his waist. 

" _You got me!_ " Alexei whispers happily. Murray scoffs and weakly rolls his eyes. 

" _You **let** me get you. I never would have caught you otherwise,_" Murray concedes. Murray is thoughtful as they walk together past the empty cars toward the exit gate. " _You know, I think you just won bumper cars,_ " he says, mystified. 

" _I must just be lucky, like you said,_ " Alexei laughed as they left the tent. Murray shook his head. They parted, hands sliding slowly down backs, then swinging close by their thighs, fingers touching, tingling, testing, teasing, wanting to hold and be held, but not yet, not here, in a crowd that could become cruel if they noticed. 

Murray heaves a huge sigh. 

"Let's go get something sweet," Murray says decisively. Alexei's open smile flickers, like he wants to make a joke, but he stays silent, and simply nods emphatically. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flirting, feelings, foreplay and funnel cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and for all of your awesome, encouraging comments!! ♡ 
> 
> It's dessert time! :Dc

"Will you put extra cherries on it, please? Just... yeah, all over it. That's perfect, thank you," Murray says to the teenager serving up the freshly fried funnel cake. The kitchen in the snack trailer is bustling. Cookware clanks and hot oil hisses as a wide array of desserts are prepared and dunked in. 

Murray shoos flies away from their food as he stuffs a bunch of bills into the tip jar on the counter before sliding both hands under the double stacked paper plates that just barely support the huge hot, golden tangle of funnel cake topped with powdered sugar, cherry jam and whipped cream. 

Alexei eyes are huge as he stares over Murray's shoulder at the extravagant confection. He's holding a cold can of Coke to his forehead. Murray begins to take a step back but hesitates, then asks the attendant, "Could I get a cup of water with some soap on it, too?" When the attendant greets his request with confusion, Murray persists, " **Please** tell me you have soap in there. I'm not about to eat anything directly after my hands have touched any part of this damn place." 

He gets what he asked for. Alexei tucks his Coke into his lower hand by Woody to free up the other so he can accept the small styrofoam cup. 

"I think we're probably going to need a lot of napkins too," Murray says to Alexei with a wry smile, then gestures toward them. Alexei snorts a little laugh as he rearranges the cup and can, then grabs a handful of napkins.

"Ok, I think we're good to go," Murray announces, then finally steps away from the pick up window. 

They search the nearby arrangement of picnic tables and find an unoccupied one. They set eveything down, except for Woody, then move apart to sit facing each other. Their feet happen to tap beneath the table as they get situated, and Murray feels a tug of desire dare him to do it again on purpose, so he looks Alexei in the eye and deliberately nudges his feet with his own. 

Alexei poorly attempts to frown as he playfully kicks him back. Murray gives a slightly exaggeratd gasp and narrows his eyes at him. Alexei sits back on his bench and raises a haughty eyebrow as he pops open his Coke and takes a swig. Murray growls and aims to catch one of Alexei's feet between his own, but he can't feel them anywhere. Confused, he peeks under the table and sees that Alexei has tucked his feet back beneath his seat, out of reach. Alexei is chuckling when Murray looks back up. 

" _Cheater,_ " Murray huffs. He dunks a napkin into the soapy water and washes his hands with it, then dries them off with another. As Alexei does the same, Murray rests his chin on one hand and suppresses a smile behind his tucked fingers, " _Is that how you really won Woody? Did you find a way to cheat the game?_ "

" _No! I told you I played fair. Why won't you believe me? I won by winning,_ " Alexei insists. A giggle shakes around the edges of his impassioned words. Murray's smile breaks loose and he laughs.

" _I do believe you; you're just fun to tease,_ " Murray says, " _Alright then, winner... What prize do you choose?_ " Alexei lowers his head for a moment. When he looks back up, he levels a blatantly lustful look at Murray that sends hot chills down his spine. He feels held tight, suspended on the edge of reality. Alexei looks so, so hungry.

" _I want you to feed me some of this cake,_ " Alexei murmurs, quietly enough that he could conceivably pass it off as being misheard if Murray reacts badly. Alexei is sure from the sudden, outlandish spread of Murray's blush that Murray had heard him correctly. Alexei tilts his head just a little and peeks his tongue past his lips. Murray responds with a shaky smile and a quiet little moan. 

" _Do you want to?_ " Alexei whispers. Murray nods, not trusting his voice in the least. Alexei smirks and brings his feet forward again, touching them gently to Murray's bare calves. He slowly slides the smooth leather against his skin. Murray bites back another, louder moan. A tremor starts running through him.

" _We can do this sort of thing here, yes?_ " Alexei asks softly. He appears all at once innocent and guilty, brave and shy, thrilled and terrified.

" _We can... probably get away with some small things..._ " Murray says slowly, distantly. He's still stunned that he was right; Alexei does **very much** feel the same way.

" _What if there's disapproval? What can happen?_ " Alexei asks. His face has fallen. His brows pinch in concern and he hugs Woody a little tighter.

Murray considers the question, his heart thumping hard while his mind races through years of personal experience, reading and research. Eventually he answers, " _It depends._ "

Alexei intently gazes at him for a long time.

" _Is it worth the risk?_ " Alexei asks. A deep fear underlies his tone and he's tense but his eyes are still fired up, blazing with hopeful desperation. Murray trembles harder. Breathes deep.

" _Not always,_ " Murray finally says, his heart spilling over and speaking for him while his mind reels, " _My dear friend... I never want anything bad to ever happen to you._ "

Alexei softens, the shadow in his eyes retreats.

" _To **us** ,_" Alexei emphatically amends. Murray blinks back a sudden swell of tears and nods firmly, his eyes alight with gratitude and adoration. They share an intimate smile until the moment becomes too charged to withstand any longer and they lower their eyes. Alexei takes another drink of Coke.

" _The cake is getting cold,_ " Alexei murmurs. Murray looks back up and his heart skips when he sees Alexei bending forward on his elbows and playfully sticking his tongue between his teeth. Reality seems to fade away, because apparently Alexei is feeling brave enough for both of them.

" _Okay... Is..._ " Murray stutters as butterflies begin to flutter fiercely in his belly, "Is anyone watching us?"

They both swiftly eye the surrounding crowd and the people sitting at the tables around them. Everyone appears to be completely caught up in themselves. Alexei and Murray's eyes return to each other and they shake their heads as they share a small burst of nervous laughter.

Murray takes a deep breath, then brakes off a piece of the cake with eagerly shaking fingers. It drips sticky sauce and dusts soft sugar over the rest of the cake as he brings his hand toward Alexei's wide grin. Alexei opens up and engulfs the piece carefully. His teeth gently graze Murray's fingers as he withdraws, leaving his skin tingling.

" _I'm sorry I pointed a gun in your face,_ " Murray abruptly says. Alexei tips his head to the side and a little bit back. His chewing slows. Murray's breath cathes and holds. Alexei swallows, his throat rippling. Murray sighs slowly, a warm wave of arousal pulsing powerfully through his whole body.

" _You should be, pig,_ " Alexei sternly replies with a small smirk and Murray feels like he's been set on fire. Alexei breaks himself off another piece of the cake, a bigger piece, and stuffs it into his mouth. He moans quietly as he chews. Sweat drenches Murray's flushed skin. He swallows dryly.

" _I was never going to shoot,_ " Murray admits. Alexei's eyebrows rise. Murray sighs self-depricatingly, then adds, " _It wasn't even loaded; I only wanted to scare you._ "

Alexei seriously studies him before speaking again. Murray becomes shy under his scrutiny.

" _I was scared at first,_ " Alexei grants. He sips his Coke. " _But only for a brief moment, and then I was intrigued... and infatuated._ "

Murray chokes on a breath.

" _Really?_ " Murray gasps. Alexei smiles adorably and gives him a little nod. Murray continues to gape.

" _When did **you** become interested?_" Alexei asks, his smile growing sly. Murray looks down. He mumbles his reply. Alexei hums curiously.

" _When I saw you on camera,_ " Murray says somewhat louder, still hanging his head in emberassment. He waggles his leg awkwardly between Alexei's shoes. Alexei doesn't let go. Murray peeks up at him. " _I thought you looked cute,_ " he admits with a guilty grimace, then says much more confidently, almost accusingly, " _And I was **right.**_ "

Alexei smiles brightly back, blushing intensely. He's so beautiful, too beautiful, Murray feels almost on the verge of crying again just looking at him.

" _Shut up, sexy,_ " Alexei deflects and returns his attention to the cake to pull off another piece. Murray closes his eyes. Focuses on steadying his staggering breaths until they even back out.

Murray opens his eyes, fully expecting to wake up alone his bedroom, but he's still at the carnival and Alexei is still sitting in front of him, and he's holding up a big, beautiful bite of funnel cake and he's watching him curiously, expectantly. Murray hums and licks his lips. Alexei brings his hand closer, Murray moves forward, and Alexei lands it on his tongue. Murray is sure that some of the toppings have mushed into his beard but he doesn't care in the least. The sweet warmth fully flooding his senses has him utterly lost in bliss. The light touch of Alexei's fingertips linger on his lower lip. He kisses them after he closes his mouth and watches Alexei breathe a silent swear.

Slowly, Murray sits back as he chews and stealthily readjusts himself within his shorts. Alexei shifts restlessly, then takes a deep, audible swig of his drink. Beneath the table, Murray brings his free leg closer to the other and pins one of Alexei's between his own.

" _This is very good,_ " Alexei says breathlessly, staring deeply into Murray's eyes while he takes another piece of funnel cake for himself. Murray hums in agreement and does the same. They quickly enjoy the rest of their desert until only enough for two bites are left. They glance at each other conspiratorially, then tear it into two pieces and feed each other simultaneously, as quickly and casually as they can while trying not to giggle too much.

As they stand up and clear the table, Murray says, " _We should probably go back to the car._ "

" _Yes,_ " Alexei instantly agrees. He's holding Woody fully in front of him, concealing his... Murray feels his own swelling cock twitch tightly, snug within his shorts.

" _Okay,_ " Murray says, breathless. He throws their trash away, then they start taking urgent strides together toward the parking lot.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " _Is this ok? Is this too fast?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sex! seks! секс!

Even after the bright lights and raucous sounds of the carnival fade behind him, the ringing in his ears and the pounding of his heart keeps Murray's sense of reality muted. Everything beyond him and Alexei seems mild compared to the breathtaking rush of falling for each other, together.

On the way back to the car, they both keep stealing glances and flashing eager, nervous smiles at each other, and the rising thrill of it makes them shaky and speechless. Alexei utters a small keen, sweet and soft and eager, and suddenly Murray can't wait until they get all the way back to the car, he has to do something now or he feels as if he'll combust, so he does the first thing his body bids him to; he sways closer on his next step, and bumps shoulders with Alexei.

Alexei stumbles slightly with a giggle, then bumps him back. As he's jostled, Murray's knees go loose, but Alexei quickly catches him around the waist and pulls him close to his side. They stop walking and Murray is suddenly in a world that seems to be spinning end over end.

" _Are you ok?_ " Alexei asks.

" _Yes. Just got dizzy,_ " Murray says. Alexei's arm around him squeezes gently. Murray sighs and leans further into him. Alexei hugs him close.

" _I'm dizzy too,_ " Alexei replies, laughing a little.

" _Do you think we can still make it to the car like this?"_ Alexei asks, still laughing.

__

" _Let's try,_ " Murray says with determination. Alexei releases his hold on him, only for his palm to meet Murray's. It slips on his sweat but soon finds a secure hold. Murray grips back, his heart in his throat, the horizon still tipping and he feels like he's floating. Their fingers intertwine and squeeze tightly. Murray breathes deep, riding through a fresh wave of elation that makes his stomach flip. He softly strokes over Alexei's thumb with his own. Feels him stroke back.

" _Ok. Let's go,_ " Murray says, and together they start walking again, with increased urgency accelerating their strides.

When they reach the convertible, they reluctantly release their hold so they can climb into their seats from before. Once they settle in, Alexei sits Woody down in the footwell while Murray scans the horizon. 

" _I wonder how much longer Joyce and Hopper will be,_ " Murray says, a little breathlessly.

Alexei is silent. Goosebumps rising, Murray turns to face him. Alexei's glasses are off, safely folded up into the case in his breast pocket, and he's staring at him with delighted determination. Like he's all he's ever wanted and he'll do absolutely anything it takes to win him.

" _Please kiss me,_ " Alexei murmurs.

His words jolt through Murray like a punch to the gut. His lashes flutter and he breathes, " _Kiss?_ "

The desire in Alexei's eyes deepens. He shifts closer. Wets his lips with a quick slip of his tongue. " _Please?_ " he repeats, even softer.

Murray's breath hitches, then draws tight, slow and hard. His eyelids sink low as he pulls off his glasses and holds them aside. He brings up an unsteady hand to cradle Alexei's head and immediately the soft warmth of Alexei's cheek is pressing against his palm, stealing Murray's breath away completely. Alexei sighs, the soft sound slowly silenced by Murray's lips tenderly meeting his.

Alexei's mouth latches on and slides securely over Murray's. An unbidden moan rolls up from low in Murray's throat. He moves closer, his other arm wrapping around Alexei's shoulders. He immediately feels Alexei's hands slide around his waist and up his back, beneath his overshirt. The delicious rake of his fingers sends full body shivers rippling through him.  
Their lips slip apart a fraction with a quiet click, then gently reconnect. They kiss with softly parted lips, exploring sweet and eager, gradually becoming more sensitive, more disoriented, and more confident.

It's Alexei who attempts the first tease of tongue. The shock of Alexei already wanting more makes Murray lightheaded from the sudden surge of blood to his cock. He holds on tighter and begins to pant lightly. He flickers light little licks along Alexei's lips, feels the chill air of Alexei's short, delighted gasps, and revels in the way they ratchet up the tight coil of arousal burning deep and low in his belly. Alexei's fingers curl in his tanktop and knead his back, starting to loosen muscles tense from decades of anxiety.

Murray groans deeply. Alexei echoes him as his tongue strokes smoothly into Murray's mouth, tasting sweet and tangy. Murray drinks in his kiss, running his tongue welcomingly along Alexei's. Alexei whimpers, sending a sharp spike of need through Murray that makes him have to stop for air. He withdraws from the kiss to nuzzle Alexei's neck and along his jaw, his beard brushing against his skin. Alexei groans helplessly and tips his head back.

" _Alyosha..._ " Murray sighs beneath his ear, his throat tight, voice strained, " _You feel so good._ " He feels Alexei shiver.

" _So do you... Murray... I want you... very much,_ " Alexei whispers back so urgent, desperate and breathless that Murray instinctively runs a hand through his sweaty curls to soothe him.

" _You already have me,_ " Murray readily admits with a smile. Alexei sighs, relaxing against him. A warm teardrop tickles his face and Murray turns to kiss it from Alexei's cheek. They sit back and their eyes meet, both glittering, damp with joy.

" _And I'm yours?_ " Alexei asks, his tone fragile. Murray huffs a soft laugh through his smile.

" _Yes, of course, my dear Alexei,_ " Murray affirms. Through wide grins, they both giggle a little deliriously as they fall together into a tight embrace. Chest to chest, they feel the other's heart beating so fast it feels like fluttering. The hug softens and their hands wander, both shaking excitedly under the others' shy touches. 

Murray pauses briefly to fold his glasses and tuck them next to Alexei's, then slides his hands down his chest and around his waist. Alexei moves even closer, practically into his lap, and Murray's heart skips. Alexei leans in close, breathing him in. His lips graze the rim of Murray's ear. 

" _I'm so hard,_ " Alexei whispers, "Are you?" 

Murray's breath catches and his entire body shudders through another cascade of lust. He swallows dryly, then rasps, " _Yes. Very._ " He's so hard that it hurts. He feels like he can barely breathe. Alexei's excited breaths fall heavier against his ear and neck.

" _Should we - ?_ " Alexei asks. His hand rubs down Murray's torso to his cock and it bucks beneath his tentative touch, teasingly light over the confines of his shorts. Murray gasps.

" _Is this ok? Is this too fast?_ " Alexei asks nervously, quickly withdrawing to check Murray's expression.

" _Yes... No, fast is fine,_ " Murray pants. He meets Alexei's concerned eyes, his own dark and shining with desire and amazement. Alexei's smile returns. He looks like the proverbial kid in a candy store. Murray squirms.

" _I'm just..._ " Murray huffs softly, blushing, " _I'm already very close._ "

" _I am too,_ " Alexei says, his voice soft, slow and warm. He places a kiss onto Murray's parted lips... then the base of his throat... over his heart... just below his bellybutton...

" _Alexei...!_ " Murray breathes, tensing to the point of trembling as Alexei slides himself down into the footwell. The backseat of the convertible is a small space. Snug. As grateful as Murray is that the overhang of the front seats makes them less exposed, having very little room to maneuver is awfully awkward.

" _My friend, that can't be comfortable,_ " Murray touches Alexei's shoulders and shakes his head with concern. Alexei just grins up at him irresistibly and grips his bare knees. Murray spreads his legs as Alexei gently pushes them apart, sinking back into the corner of the backseat. His head swims.

" _It's ok. It won't take long,_ " Alexei murmurs. He strokes his fingers up Murray's bare, quivering thighs, then reaches for his belt buckle. " _And we don't want to make a mess, so..._ "

As the metal clicks quietly in Alexei's hands, Murray knows he should check again to be sure that there's still no one around who could see them, but he can't take his eyes off of Alexei, still half-afraid that he'll find himself waking up from a wet dream, alone at home, and if not, then by this point he hardly cares if anyone does see. So he keeps his head down and he watches, utterly rapt as Alexei lowers his zipper and reaches into his underwear. He covers his mouth with one hand just before Alexei wraps his hand around his rigid cock and carefully brings it out. His skin is dark and tight around his shaft, and the head is shining damp, so sensitive that even Alexei's soft breaths feel like light caresses. Murray moans weakly.

Alexei admires Murray's cock for a moment, holding the base loosely, his hand pressing into dark curls. It throbs under his kind attention, leaking even more precum, and Alexei dabs his tongue to the tip for a taste. Murray muffles a groan beneath his palm. Alexei laughs happily, then slurps his cock into his hot mouth. Alexei suckles gently, his head bobbing, and, through Murray fights to keep watching, his eyes roll shut - he feels so good - his breaths rush in pace with his heart - so good - he starts to keen - so good - electric pleasure snaps and flares through his nerves - TOO good - !

Murray grunts as his abs clench, his legs tense, his toes curl, and his hips roll up, pressing deeper, seeking **more**. He feels Alexei's throat flinch against his head, then there's a firm pressure on his hips, forcing him back down against the seat. Murray trembles on the edge of a disorientingly high ledge, chuffing hard, heavy breaths around his hand. He whines, Alexei laps firmly at the head of his cock, and Murray cums with his head thrown back and his eyes cheched tight. His mouth drops open under his hand, muffling his cries while pleasure pounds through him. Alexei holds his bucking cock snugly between his lips, swallowing shot after shot until Murray is shuddering through aftershocks so strong they make him sob.

Alexei carefully climbs back up into the seat and drapes himself over Murray like a blanket. He hugs him tightly and Murray hugs back just as fiercely, burying his damp face into Alexei's shoulder. He cries quietly and Alexei soothes him until he's caught his breath.

" _Thank you,_ " Murray whispers dearly. Alexei kisses his cheeks, his eyes, his lips.

" _My pleasure,_ " Alexei whispers back with a smile. Murray sniffles. Clears his throat.

" _Your turn, Alyosha,_ " Murray says with a soft grin. Alexei smiles and shivers.

" _I will be even faster,_ " Alexei warns him with a little laugh.

" _Okay, that's good,_ " Murray acknowledges, still smiling, " _This is a good time to be fast._ Alexei nods and chuckles. Murray brings his right leg up onto the seats and slouches lower. While he zips and buttons himself back up, Alexei straddles his waist, braces himself above him, and takes a quick look around. He sees nothing but night sky, and blurry fields, cars and carnival lights. When be looks back down, he's smiling ear to ear.

" _We're still alone,_ " Alexei whispers. Murray tips a sexy smile up at him and Alexei's mouth goes slack. He breathes harder as Murray carefully unlatches his belt and unfastens his pants. Beneath are white cotton boxers, wet where his cock has been leaking. The scent of him makes Murray's mouth water. He licks his lips as he parts open the fly, then gently draws Alexei's cock free and slowly guides it into his mouth. 

Alexei **squeaks** and Murray laughs softly around him. One of Alexei's hands drops onto his head, his fingers digging down into his hair. Murray languidly licks around the head before taking him deeper. Alexei groans and rocks his hips, his thighs flexing under Murray's hands. Murray slides nearly all the way off with soft, slow suction. Alexei grips his hair and presses in deep again and a low groan rumbles through Murray. He strokes along the underside of Alexei's cock with his tongue, feels it jump, and hears Alexei choke on a broken gasp as the first hot gush of cum floods his mouth, quickly followed by more and more. He gulps it all down thickly, just barely keeping up, and their heavy breaths cycle in sync while Alexei rides out his orgasm, sighing and shuddering with pleasure.

Gradually, Alexei sags. His softening cock slips out of Murray's mouth and Murray exhales a deeply satisfied sigh. He tenderly tucks Alexei's cock back into his boxers and refastens his pants, then welcomes him down into his arms. Alexei is still twitching and whimpering, rocking through aftershocks that make him squeeze Murray tight and grind his hips against him in wide circles, but they grow smaller and softer as they cuddle, breathe and sink fully into their afterglows.  
They quietly admire each other with their eyelids low, cheeks and lips flush, foreheads glittering with rivulets of sweat.

" _Murray,_ " Alexei murmurs.

" _Yes, my dear?_ " Murray gently responds. Alexei smiles bashfully.

" _I feel free, with you,_ " Alexei says quietly. Murray melts even more. It takes him a moment to regain his voice.

" _I feel the same way, Aloysha,_ " Murray says, feeling his passion rising and choking him up, " _Free and lucky._ "

" _Yes,"_ Alexei agrees. The lights in their eyes twinkle with joy. They meet in a loving kiss that slowly stills as they drift off to sleep together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...Rambo?" Alexei asks with mild concern as Murray puts his glasses back on.
> 
> " _Yes. We're going to meet him behind the funhouse,_ " Murray says with slightly raised brows.

The rumble of the engine starting startles Murray and Alexei from their sleep, instantly drenching them in icy hot adrenaline. Their eyes snap wide open and they fumble frantically to sit up. Joyce is in the driver's seat, turned to face them and vigorously making soothing hand motions.

"It's okay! It's okay! It's just me! You're okay! Thank god! Okay! Okay. We have to go. We have to hurry!" Joyce says, tears beading at the edges of her wildly kind eyes.

Relief pours through Murray. When Alexei sees the tense line of Murray's shoulders smooth down, he relaxes as well, but then a fresh rush of panic blindsides Murray. He leans forward and grips the backs of the front seats tight and Alexei's pulse spikes again.

"Go where? Where's Jim?" Murray asks.

"To the - behind the funhouse. We're going to meet him there. We have to go now," Joyce says, sounding much more convincing and assuring than neccessary, which makes it painfully obvious to Murray that what she said is what she **hopes** will happen; what she **needs** to happen.

"Okay," Murray says. He sits back and takes in a deep breath as Joyce takes the wheel and he sighs as she peels out of the parking spot. Alexei looks over at Murray and Murray meets his eyes. Their dark curls whip in the wind. Alexei has his glasses back on. Multicolored specks of light slide swiftly across the lenses. With a little smile, he offers Murray's to him. Murray smiles back and takes them.

"...Rambo?" Alexei asks with mild concern as Murray puts his glasses back on.

" _Yes. We're going to meet him behind the funhouse,_ " Murray says with slightly raised brows. Alexei facially shrugs and nods. They settle back, shoulder to shoulder, and both become lost in thought. Centrifugal force presses them together as Joyce speeds the convertible in a wide arc around the field surrounding the carnival.

Alexei turns his head and whispers meaningfully to Murray, " _She saw us asleep together..._ "

" _Yes. It's alright that she knows_ ," Murray says quietly back. He takes Alexei's hand. Alexei's fingers wrap snugly around his and both of their nerves settle considerably. His eyes flick to Joyce and he wants to ask her, wants to be **sure** , but now is not the time.

They all suddenly lurch forward as Joyce brakes hard on the path behind the towering funhouse. They sit idling, all staring up at the back of the huge, multilevel trailer. Their hearts pound as they watch and wait. 

After a few minutes, Murray asks, "Jim is **in** there?"

"I think so... but I don't know; he just told me to meet him here, with the car," Joyce says, her voice strained and shaky.

"Okay," Murray simply says again. He and Alexei softly stroke their thumbs over their united hands to help keep each other calm while they remain vigilant.

After several more silent, excuciatingly tense minutes, the enclosed spiral slide on the side of the funhouse rumbles and curses, then a huge, unmistakable figure tumbles out of it.

"Hey!" Hopper bellows as he maintainins his momentum, barreling towards the convertable and waving his arms. A second later the whole car rocks like a boat in water as he plunges into the passenger seat, shouting, "I'm in; hit it! Go! Go!"

Joyce slams on the gas before Hopper's legs are even fully finished tucked into the car.

"Is everyone ok?" Hopper asks, squeezing into the seat and twisting around to check on his companions. 

"We're ok," Murray confirms. It's a massive understatement, considering the fact that he is, in fact, currently sky high from having just fallen in love, and gotten off, with the sweetest, smartest, sexiest man on earth, but he's no where near about to bring any of that up.

"Okay. Good," Hopper sighs with relief.

"Why? What the hell happened to you?" Murray asks.

"A goddamn ambush!" Hopper huffs, fear and rage tensing his jaw and hardening his gaze. 

"Shit," Murray says, stunned. An instant later he and Alexei jump as a radio suddenly pops and crackles to life.

" _On the lower level_ ," the unseen speaker thrums.

"Hey! Translate!" Hopper shoves a radio at Murray. Murray takes it and quickly holds it up between himself and Alexei. Alexei squeezes his hand as he turns toward him to listen closely.

" _I repeat_ ," the voice over the radio speaks through an electronic haze. The wind rushing past them as they drive nearly drowns out the words. Murray closes his eyes, brings the radio even closer, and concentrates.

" _We've found the children. They are still in the mall. Lower level. Keep all entrances locked down. I repeat - keep all entrances locked down._ "

" _...children?_ " Alexei repeats, his voice hollow. Murray gently hushes him, still focusing on listening for more, but the radio hisses into a static silence. Murray glances at Alexei, who is now staring off into the middle distance, perturbed. He retrieves Woody from the footwell and hugs it tightly with one arm. 

"What did they say?" Hopper demands to know. 

Murray feels a tension headache begin to burn in a tight band around his skull. He takes deep breaths and waits. The silence stretches on. He lowers the radio and evenly repeats to Hopper and Joyce what he heard. Panic widens their eyes and Murray feels the car accelerate, pressing him back deeper into the seat. Hopper turns to Joyce and they share a quick, anxious glance.

"Starcourt?" Hopper speculates.

"Yes," Joyce agrees.

They continue on in silence for a few moments, then suddenly the radio hisses, " _Everyone, get over here. I found them._ "

Murray's frown darkens and Alexei looks at him helplessly, his face going pale.

"What was that?" Hopper snaps, his voice wavering with worry. Murray hisses to silence him and brings the speaker back up to his ear. He hears a fainter channel cut in through the haze. 

" _Where?_ " 

Alexei presses closer too. Their hand hold tenses and they both hold their breath.

" _Food court_ ," the reply is terse. Murray and Alexei are frozen, silent, attentive, but there's nothing more to hear. Murray sighs slowly from his nose and braces himself before he looks up into Hooper's intense eyes.

"They said they found them in the food court," Murray says, doing his best to keep his voice impartial, but distress still tinges his tone. 

"... and?" Hopper prompts.

"And nothing. That's it. That's all they said," Murray says a little angrily. His arm starts to burn from holding up the radio, but he keeps it raised, willing another voice to come through and signal a false alarm.

He hears nothing. They drive for miles in charged silence. Eventually, Joyce anxiously asks, "Still nothing?"

"Nothing," Murray says, with a rueful shake of his head. He stiffly lowers the radio to rest on his thigh.

"Food court? Are you **sure** they said food court?" Hopper criticizes, his face twisted with uncertainty.

"I'm sorry, have my translation skills been letting you down?" Murray reflexively snaps. He turns to Alexei and asks, " _What did you hear?_ " Alexei repeats everything **exactly** as he'd heard it over the radio, as if it had been burned into his brain. Murray nods along as he speaks, then turns back to Hopper and sighs, "Yes. I'm sure; they said 'food court'."

Murray sees Hopper's frown turn aching. Deep wounds surface in his dark eyes, and Murray softens. When he speaks again, his voice is sparing, "We don't know it's your kids."

"Yes, we do," Joyce firmly insists. She speeds up even more as she whips them around a corner. The wind stings while the world rushes by. Joyce and Hopper are quiet. In their heads. Alexei puts his lips to Murray's ear again.

" _Their children... are in danger?_ " Alexei asks. His voice is meek, uncertain, regretful. Murray lets go of Alexei's hand to put his arm around his shoulder. Alexei snuggles close and Murray rubs his upper arm, hugs him tighter.

" _We don't know for sure_ ," Murray says, " _But they believe so._ " Murray feels Alexei shudder. He leans in closer over him, sheltering.

" _I caused harm_ ," Alexei says, quietly appalled and astonished. He's silent for a moment, then says bitterly, rapidly dissolving into tears, " _I did as I was told... and I finished their damn machine... because if I hadn't... they... would have... k-_ " 

Murray hangs his head and grits his teeth against a sudden, burning ache of empathy. Never had he ever thought he'd be torn about what anyone should do in such a situation. Millions of thoughts, words and feelings struggle to surface in him but nothing fights more fiercely than his disgust at what had been done to Alexei. 

" _They made you a victim too_ ," Murray whispers, his voice raw. Alexei suppresses a pained whine and presses even closer. They cling tightly to each other as they fight back their tears. 

" _I should not have let them_ ," Alexei hisses heatedly. Self-loathing burns in his words. A desire to have done the 'right thing'. To have resisted, no matter the cost. Murray shudders. For the first time in his life, he's truly unsure if that really would have been better, and he feels unmoored by it. He wonders how much of it is caused by his own selfishness and cowardice and decides it doesn't matter.

" _I don't know_ ," Murray says honestly. He musters his courage and forces himself to confront this void while he feels Alexei breathing hard and tight and tense against him, to search for what makes sense.

" _Alexei... I don't know if it really was up to you_ ," Murray says, slowly speaking from somewhere secret, somewhere soft and simple deep inside. He feels Alexei settle, feels his breathing ease, and his own starts to even out as well. 

" _It is right that we destroy it_ ," Alexei says with conviction, " _I never should have helped them make it._ "

" _We will_ ," Murray promises, " _We'll make things right._ "

At that, Alexei's adrenaline finally begins to fade. The white noise of the wind, the steady vibration of the car, and the warmth of Murray's arms wrapped around him has Alexei growing drowsy. Murray feels Alexei becoming heavier and he slowly turns in his seat toward him to guide him down to lie reclined against him. He carefully removes Alexei's glasses and puts them into their case. Alexei tips his heavy head back onto Murray's shoulder and turns it toward him, hiding his eyes in his hair. Melting beneath Alexei, Murray focuses on Alexei's soft, slow, steady breaths, until he feels someone watching them. Wearily, he peers up and sees Hopper's eyes reflected in the rearview mirror for an instant just before they dart away. 

Murray waits and watches and Hooper's gaze wanders back to the mirror again and again, stealing quick glances at him and Alexei. A wide range of emotions tinge his expression, vastly different every time he looks back at them. Several times he looks like he wants to say something, or ask a question, but he ultimately keeps his thoughts to himself.

Throughout it all, Murray stares steadily back through the mirror, daring him to say anything even remotely negative. Hopper eventually stops looking, and Murray finally fully relaxes, resting his head on Alexei's, and allows his tired eyes to sink shut.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's almost time for us to be big American heroes, my dear friend," Murray says with a sideways smirk. Alexei laughs again as they slowly sit back up in their seats.
> 
> "Very well; let's go save the world," Alexei says with a shrug, brave and beaming. He puts his glasses back on and asserts more soberly, "I must correct my mistakes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait! This chaper got long. XD   
> Please enjoy! ♡

Murray's shaken awake. As he regains his bearings, he feels a huge, heavy hand rocking his shoulder, and the warm, relaxing weight of Alexei laying over him. The world is still flying by fast, the wind streaming, the car thrumming.

"Hey, wake up!" Hopper says. He smacks Murray and Alexei's shoulders a couple times. "Get up! We're almost there!"

Murray hisses and huffs and shifts away from Hopper's hand. It leaves them. Alexei stirs in his arms and an intense wave of contentment fully washes away his irritation. He nuzzles Alexei's hair, breathes him in. They both hum.

" _Are we awake, Aloysha?_ " Murray whispers, " _Are we dreaming?_ " He feels Alexei smile and release another happy, purring hum. Murray sighs blissfully, then says even more gently, " _Let me see your sweet eyes._ "

Murray draws back in time to see Alexei's lashes slowly flutter apart. They gaze and smile softly, feeling effortlessly, perfectly connected. Murray knows in the far distant back of his mind that they're not alone and they're being overtly sappy and he'll never hear the end of it... but he's much too pleased and far too relaxed to make any effort whatsoever at being disingenuous.

" _I want to kiss you right now,_ " Alexei says quietly, as if reading his mind. Murray winces with immense delight.

" _Please do,_ " Murray says. Alexei's bright eyes light up even more. He lifts Woody higher to hide them from sight, then dives into a deep, delicious kiss. As their lips connect once again, they both know they're already hopelessly addicted; to the taste of each other, the bristle of Murray's beard, and the freeflow of raw feeling that they far too quickly become breathless from. The muscles in Murray's cock and those low in his hips are mildly sore, but pressed under the weight of Alexei, he feels them ache for more regardless. With a sudden, shocked inhale, he notices his hands have begun to wander over Alexei's torso, petting him slowly. He stills them. Alexeie chuckles lustily and they quickly end the kiss with an exchange of two soft, light touches of lips, a brief back and forth in parting, promising more. It's a pleasant surprise as it happens instinctually, and they both blush. Murray clears his throat.

" _It's almost time for us to be big American heroes, my dear friend,_ " Murray says with a sideways smirk. Alexei laughs again as they slowly sit back up in their seats.

" _Very well; let's go save the world,_ " Alexei says with a shrug, brave and beaming. He puts his glasses back on and asserts more soberly, " _I must correct my mistakes._ "

" _We will help you,_ " Murray promises. Alexei's eyes flood with gratitude as he's once again surprised by how humbling it is to be gifted this new life... and this immense affection. They share a smile as the convertable rolls swift and smoothly across the barren parking lot of the Starcourt Mall. Joyce pulls them up to a stop just outside the main entrance. 

"All right! Get out!" Hopper snaps, "Hurry up!" The car rocks back and forth as the car doors clunk open and thunk shut as Murray and Alexei grab their things and swing themselves up and out of the backseat. 

Keeping up with Hopper's huge, hurried strides into the mall has everyone's breaths burning. Soon after they're all inside, an echo of El crying out in pain reverberates hauntingly down the huge halls. Hopper instantly breaks into a sprint and the others start running behind. Alexei easily stays close, Woody swinging wildly from one hand, Joyce is a few feet behind, and Murray pants as he jogs just a few steps behind her. 

Just as they make it to the food court, they hear another fierce yell from El and they see her pulling a slug-like thing out of her right shin without touching it. She flings it away from her with another shout. It soars toward them as they run closer and lands on the tile with a wet slap. It squirms and scrabbles in their direction as it crawls away from El and Hopper stomps down on it, **hard**. 

El and all of the kids who are gathered around her look up. From behind Hopper, Alexei stares with consternation between Hopper's foot still weighed down over the strange, bloody little thing. 

" _What was that thing?_ " Alexei wonders aloud. He feels a creeping chill tickle unpleasantly at his nerves. No one answers him. When Alexei looks back up again, several of the kids are standing in front of the injured girl, glaring at him suspiciously. Alexei gulps and feels his stomach sink at the cold reminder that he's still seen as a dangerous stranger by almost everyone here. Murray moves forward to put Alexei behind him, and Alexei's heart warms back up enough to stop the chill from completely taking him over.

"Who is that?" Steve asks, aghast and pointing to Alexei. "Is that a Russian?" he says, his pitch rising a little hysterically. Murray rushes to answer before Hopper can, but Joyce beats him by a fraction as he's still catching his breath.

" **His** name is Alexei," Joyce says defensively. Alexei defrosts a little bit more, hearing her say his name with such respect. 

"Dr. Alexei **is** Russian, yes, but he has defected," Murray follows up matter-of-factly, "He's a friend. He wants to help us."

"And who the hell are **you**?" Steve asks with a huge shrug, his hands spread wide and his voice rising even higher. 

"Oh stop it, Steve! That's Murray! Remember we told you about him?" Nancy pipes up. Steve sputters and shakes his head, still confused.

"Listen!" Hopper says at the end of his patience, his words loud and deliberate, "Everyone who is here is welcome to be here. Okay? El! What the hell was that thing you just threw over here? Are you okay?"

The kids seem to ignore Hopper entirely as they continue to stare at Alexei warily. El peeks through their legs until her gaze catches Alexei's, and Alexei suddenly feels naked, dissected. El studies him for a moment and he can feel her perceiving him, all of him, and it's eerie, even after her eyes leave him and turn up toward her friends, he feels like he's been fully disassembled and put out on display. He hugs Woody tightly to his chest, over his heavily thudding heart. El says something calm and quiet to all her friends. They turn away to huddle over her and murmur briefly amongst themselves. When they face Alexei again, they appear more open.

"Okay, come over here," Mike sighs. He gestures for the adults to approach and says, "We can explain what we know."

As everyone moves to circle up, Joyce bolts over to Will and embraces him, tearfully checks that he's alright. Jonathan joins them and Nancy hovers close by while he hugs his family. Hopper goes directly to El. He kneels next to her and she reaches up to hug him. He gingerly returns the embrace with one arm and they speak quietly for a moment before he carefully lifts her up and carries her over to the nearest bench.

Murray and Alexei remain where they were, apart from the crowd, observing. 

" _What's happening now?_ " Alexei asks, slowly regaining his composure after having been so piercingly examined by the injured child.

" _Family reunions,_ " Murray answers evenly, " _When they're done, we're going to learn what's been happening._ "

The space between them becomes rapidly, increasingly uncomfortable until Alexei abruptly releases the pressure.

" _What's been happening since the key has begun to reopen the gate,_ " Alexei says, his voice sunken by guilt. Murray hangs his head. He turns slowly around to face Alexei, dragging his feet. He can't bring himself to look him fully in the eyes.

" _Did you know... what would happen?_ " Murray asks cautiously.

" _No... I was never given full access to that information,_ " Alexei pauses, becomes lost in thought for a moment, then says, " _I knew they were keeping a lot of secrets from me. Of course I suspected strongly that what I was being ordered to build was for purposes of war because the military was directing the project. They wanted it to succeed so badly that they were killing... anyone... to see it be done,_ " Alexei says, faltering at the end as a traumatic memory suddenly resurfaces. Murray slowly and silently pulls him close and they hold each other steady.

" _I'm so sorry, Alexei,_ " Murray says quietly. Alexei hugs him tighter. 

" _Thank you,_ " Alexei whispers. He takes a deep breath, then says " _Thank you for giving me a new life... with you._ " Murray breathes deep as well, then leans back to see Alexei gazing at him with hope and it fires him up.

" _Everyone deserves a life they choose for themselves; one that's not dictated to them by anyone else,_ " Murray says. He knows he's being pie in the sky patriotic, but it's been so long since he's been able to say such things to anyone who's interested, who wants and needs to hear it. 

" _Everyone deserves freedom. **True** freedom,_" Murray asserts. After he says it, Alexei tips his head with uncertainly at the same time as Murray does. Murray rubs his eye and amends with a tired groan and a dark, weary little laugh, " _Well, I mean... unless they abuse it._ "

Alexei laughs a little too and hums agreeably. 

"Hey!" Mike shouts and they startle, swiftly stepping farther apart, "Do you guys wanna hear this too or not?"

"Yes; we'll listen!" Murray yells back. As they start walking awkwardly to join the large circle of mostly strangers all staring at them, Murray shakes both his head and the stack of papers in his hand and mutters, " _What we really should be doing is figuring out how to get into this place._ "

" _Yes, but I also need to know the truth about what I've done,_ " Alexei says resolutely. Murray feels his heart tighten. He heaves a small, strained sigh.

" _The truth is important to know,_ " Murray compassionately agrees. 

"Okay, so..." Mike begins, addressing everyone now all gathered around. He hesitates, swaying under the weight of the the enormity of everything that need to be explained. His closest friends step closer, wordlessly letting him know they're ready to help him if he needs them. Mike smiles slightly, sad and brief, then begins, "So... this is El..."

☆☆☆☆☆

"The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins," Mike says, finally caught up to the events of today, "To stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world."

"And it almost did," Nancy jumps in, her tone alone emphasizing the immensity of the danger, "That was just one tiny piece of it."

"How big is this thing?" Hopper asks tensely. 

"It's big," Jonathan says with muted awe, "Thirty feet at least."

"Yeah," Lucas agrees with Jonathan's estimation, then, cringing a little, he says to Hopper, "It sorta destroyed your cabin."

Hopper takes this in with quiet devestation. Murray quietly catches up with his translations to Alexei and feels the mild ease of catharsis console him somewhat upon learning that Hopper has been rendered homeless as well. It's a bittersweet and guilty comfort, but it helps him feel slightly better about his own situation all the same.

"Sorry," Lucas commiserates with Hopper. Murray looks at his feet. There's an awkward silence until Steve suddenly cuts through it.

"Okay, so, just to be clear, this... " Steve wavers, then continues, "...this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some sort of gigantic... weapon?"

"Yes," Nancy emphatically confirms.

Murray resumes translating for Alexei, doing his best to maintain accuracy. The horror of what they've been hearing for the past few minutes has them feeling hollow.

"But instead of like, screws and metal..." Steve continues uncomfortably. 

"Yes," Nancy prompts him. 

"The Mind Flayer made its weapon..." Steve slowly forces himself to say, "...with melted people."

"Yes, exactly," Nancy confirms unhesitantly.

"Yeah, okay " Steve says, looking like he's wondering if, or even hoping that, he's actually still high right now, "I - Yeah, I'm just making sure." 

"Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asks.

"El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive," Max says.

"But if we close the gate again - " Will hopefully begins to remind everyone.

"We cut the brain off from the body," Max continues.

"And kill it," Lucas concludes. He pauses, then adds, "Theoretically."

As soon as Murray finishes translating, he holds up the maps and says, "Okay! Then let's do it! Let's find a way in and shut the gate!"

"We already know a way in," Dustin says. Nearly the entire group turns to him, baffled and aghast. 

"You do?" Hopper speaks for all of them.

"Yeah, we've been crawling around in that shithole all damn day," Erica complains. 

"Erica!" Lucas chides her.

"Well, we **were**!" Erica replies to her brother and he sufferingly rolls his eyes.

"I'm sorry, so you're saying you were actually... **in** there?" Murray says. Erica, Dustin, Robin and Steve all nod. Murray turns to Alexei.

" _They said that they've been in the base already!_ " Murray says and Alexei's eyes get huge.

" _How?_ " Alexei asks. 

"How did you do it?" Murray seconds him. 

"I can show you. Excuse me, are those... maps? May I?" Dustin approaches, reaches out for the papers in Murray's hand.

"Please!" Murray urges, pressing them into Dustin's hands. Dustin sorts through the sheets as he walks over to the food count tables. His group and the adults all follow him and gather around close. They watch attentively as Dustin arranges Alexei's sketches on the table.

"Ok, see this room here?" Dustin begins, confidently pointing to a particular square and tracing a path as he speaks, "This is a storage facility. There is a hatch here that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon."

Alexei releases a breathy, exhilarated laugh and everyone looks up. Smiling, Alexei shrugs and gestures to Dustin, " _He's a genius._ " 

"Sorry? What was that?" Dustin says. Murray cocks his head and smirks down at Dustin.

"He thinks you're very smart," Murray says. A huge blush and smile spread over Dustin's face. Alexei mirrors him. 

"Why, thank you doctor, but, with all due respect, you ain't seen nothin' yet!" Dustin preens. Murray's eyes roll. 

"I'm not translating that," Murray mutters to Dustin, but quietly mutter to Alexei, " _The smug little shit says thank you._ " Alexei snorts a laugh and Murray snickers softly, shaking his head. 

"Aaanyway... um, it's a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way," Dustin assures everyone. 

" **You** can show us the way?" Hopper repeats with heavy doubt.

"Don't worry," Dustin humors Hopper, "You can do all the fighting and all the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your... navigators."

Hopper makes a mockery of consideration before emphatically saying, "No."

Dustin scrutinizes him to determine if he's joking. Hopper shrugs and lightly but sincerely reiterates, "Nope," and the discussion breaks down into testily determining the details about exactly who should ho where and do what. The logistics are all being juggled far too quickly for Murray to bother translating directly, so before he allows himself to he pulled too deeply into it as well, he says to Alexei, " _I'm sorry, everyone's trying to figure out how we want to do this... and you - I can't -_ " 

Murray huffs, frustrated by his own fear. He stands up straighter. With Alexei's full attention on him, he does his best to supress the shake in his voice and says, " _Alexei, I need you to stay somewhere safe, okay? I do not want you going in there._ "

Alexei's eyes are sharp as he says significantly, " _It's not a safe place for **anyone** to be in._"

Murray gulps and answers, " _I know... but someone who understands Russian really should go... and I think it will be **slightly** safer if it's me._"

Alexei stares deeply into his eyes for a moment, then sadly admits, " _You're right._ " His gaze starts to wander over Murray's face like he's just now seeing him for the first time. Murray feels Alexei's fingers lightly brush his wrist and his skin tingles from his touch. 

" _I don't want you to go anywhere you won't come back from,_ " Alexei says quietly. Slow tears start to slide into his eyes and Murray's mist over. 

" _Don't worry, Alyosha. I will be back before you know it,_ " Murray promises.

Alexei looks like he wants to kiss him and Murray silently shows him he very much wants the same, but if he allows himself to start, he's sure he'd never stop, so instead he quickly wipes his eyes dry and pats Alexei on the shoulder. He pushes him away gently and sends him off with a soft, " _Go rest for a while. I'll catch you up soon on what is decided._ "

With their eyes still held fast with longing, Alexei nods and steps away. Their stare lingers until Alexei finally turns away to find a bench. As he walks to it to sit down, Alexei notices how stiff and confining his dirtied clothes feel. The cotton sticks to the stale sweat coating his skin and it's suffocating. He places Woody next to him, then pulls his glasses case out of his chest pocket, sets it next to Woody, and begins to unbutton his collared shirt. He pulls it off with a relieved sigh. As he's folding it up and wondering if just putting it in a trash can would be safe enough, he sees Robin and Steve approach him. Steve is rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Robin elbows him and he stops and looks at Alexei with a sheepish smile.

"Hey... man, I'm sorry about being so suspicious of you earlier... like, you understand, right?" Steve says to Alexei, cringing. Alexei looks at him with uncertain concern until Robin says, " _He is sorry. Because rude to you before._ "

" _You know Russian?_ " Alexei says to Robin in delighted surprise. 

" _Only some. Not much,_ " Robin replies, feeling a little elated from continuing to be able to actually apply what little of the language she's learned. 

Alexei grins up at her, then at Steve and says, " _It's okay. Thank you for apologising._ " Robin smiles and translates as well as she can, and it's enough for Steve to visibly loose the weight of the guilt he was carrying. Alexei's grin grows. 

Robin and Steve continue to stand by him, rocking in place and grinning back with a much more positive nervous energy now. He patiently keeps looking up at them, politely curious. Eventually, Steve nudges Robin and she blurts, " _Do you enjoy the man with beard? He talks Russian with you?_ " 

Alexei immediately turns red and his eyebrows shoot up. His eyes dart from Robin's to Steve's and back while he makes up his mind whether to tell them the truth or not. They both look like they already know. 

" _Yes, I like Murray,_ " he cautiously confirms. 

Robin bends down and her eyes narrow as she becomes even more focused, demanding to know, " _Does Murray know you like him?_ "

Alexei only manages to keep a straight face for a split second before he laughs so hard that he coughs a little. Robin bounces. 

"That's a yes, right?" Steve asks excitedly. Robin flashes Steve a wild smile.  
When he's finally able to breathe enough again to speak, Alexei understates, " _Yes, he knows._ " 

Robin squeals and pogo jumps in place. Alexei's emberassment grows, but he's still smiling uncontrollably. 

"Yes? Yes?? That's gotta be a yes!" Steve hisses insistently. Robin shakes him by the shoulders. 

"Yes! Oh my god! Oh my god, **yes** , it's a yes, Steve! We were right!" Robin enthuses. Steve cheers and laughs. 

" _Don't be so loud, please!_ " Alexei laughs. He's hiding his bright red face behind Woody.

"Shit! Come on, let's do something nice for them! Let's do something fun," Robin decides, swiftly scanning the shops nearby. 

"Yeah, okay! Like what?" Steve asks. Robin's eyes settle on The Gap and she points to it.

" _Alexei, you want new clothes?_ " Robin asks, also tugging on her Scoops Ahoy top. Alexei tilts his head and peeks around Woody to the window display she's pointing at.

" _Clothes?_ " Alexei asks. He nods then says, " _Yes, okay._ "

"Yeah! Aw yeah!" Robin chants, taking Alexei's hands and skipping as she leads the flush, giggling little group to the store. 

Right away Alexei sees a mannequin flanking the enterance wearing American stars and stripes printed on a billed cap. His head turns as they enter, his eyes lingering on it. It's completely ridiculous. He wants it. He diverts back to grab it and put it on.

"That's the way!" Robin says, giving him two thumbs up. Alexei giggles, starting to feel as giddy as she and Steve. They give Alexei space to explore as they all walk deeper into the store. It's dark inside, but the styles, shapes and colors of the clothes are simple and bold, and it doesn't take long for Alexei to get a good look at everything on display. He gathers up a couple of outfits before he stops suddenly and searches for Robin and Steve, finding them trying on accessories. 

" _I cannot pay for these,_ " Alexei says. Robin's smile falls a little when she sees him looking worried.

" _Sorry, what's problem_?" she says, stepping closer.

" _I have no money,_ " Alexei rephrases, shrugging and laughing a little.

"Is he looking for the dressing room?" Steve asks, wearing a baret, sunglasses and a large, sheer scarf. He begins to direct Alexei to the back of the store and Robin follows.

"Mmm..." Robin muses, "I don't know... I think he's maybe feeling guilty about stealing?"

"Oh!" Steve scoffs, "Whatever. Have anything you want, dude! It's totally on us!"

"Yeah," Robin says assuringly to Alexei, " _No problem. Gift clothes from us! Do not worry._ " 

" _Okay,_ " Alexei laughs and shrugs again as they arrive in the men's dressing area. Only one light is on in the center of the ceiling, leaving the edges of the room in deep shadow.

" _Go! See new you!_ " Robin encourages him.

" _Okay!_ " Alexei giggles again, then draws aside a curtian and enters one of the more central booths. It's dim and small inside, and as he closes the curtian behind him, anxiety begins to creep into his core, but he staunchly ignores it. He focuses instead on arranging the two sets of clothes he close onto the wall hooks while he listens to Robin and Steve chatting pleasant nonsense just a few feet away, and he feels calmer. He peels off his undershirt and uses it to blot his armpits, then drops it onto the bench to discard later. He playfully wrinkles his nose at his sweaty self in the mirror as he braces a foot on the bench to start unlacing his shoes. He needs a shower. 

After his shoes are off, he removes his pants and reflexively swings them up and over in the air, arranging them into a neat, efficient fold before plopping them down onto the bench as well. He looks back up at the clothes he has chosen. One makes his heart trip over with excitement. The other is a safer, much more modest backup, in case the first turns out to be too emberassing to actually have on. 

With a deep breath, Alexei takes the tanktop off the hanger and pulls it on. White piping rings the soft red cotton, and the whole thing hugs him very comfortably. Alexei looks into the mirror and blushes, sighing happily. He brushes his fingertips over his torso from belly to chest and his nipples rise, stiff and sensitive beneath his new top. He teases around them for a moment, then smooths his palms back down over his abs and looks at the matching shorts still on the hanger. His breaths quicken even more. They are even shorter Murray's, which have had Alexei desirously distracted ever since he first noticed them. Alexei smirks to himself at the prospect of driving Murray just as crazy in return. 

Alexei unclips the shorts from the hanger and steps into them carefully. Slowly, he pulls the elastic waistband up around his hips and feels the cloth caress over his curves and cling to him perfectly. Alexei grins and shimmies around for himself in the mirror to check all the angles and ranges of movement. He looks and feels cute and hot and **happy**. So happy that Alexei laughs a little wickedly. From behind the curtain, he hears Robin and Steve excitedly direct the same sound at him, "Good?"

Alexei pulls aside the curtain and Robin and Steve both gasp, lighting up like they've been given a perfect surprise gift. Steve sways on his feet as he lowers his sunglasses and struggles to find his voice.

"You look **amazing**... holy shit," Steve croaks, stunned by how **nice** Alexei is to look at.

" **Very** cute," Robin agrees, slyly side-eyeing Steve. Her gaze slides back to Alexei and she mischievously bites her lower lip before saying, "May I make just one suggestion?" She steps forward and reaches for Alexei's hat. He bends down a little to help her reach it and Robin lifts it off, spins it around, and fits it back down on his head. She then tugs a few of his curls out through the hole above the strap before she steps back and grins.

"Nice..." Steve breathes, nodding, still utterly transfixed. Robin puffs up proudly as Alexei turns for a quick peek back in the mirror and coos approvingly. He turns back and they all smile confidentially at each other.

"Alright! Let's go see Murray loose his mind!" Robin says, spinning away out of the dressing room. Alexei hurries to grab his old clothes before following her. Steve dreamily drifts along after him. Before they leave the store, Alexei dashes over to a far wall and pulls a red and white duffel bag down off of a shelf to stuff his old clothes into. 

The three return to the food court with a lighthearted swing in their steps. Alexei sees Murray bolt up from his seat on the bench where Alexei had left his things, looking like he'd just been given an electric shock. Behind him, Robin and Steve cackle. Jonathan and Nancy, who had been sitting next to Murray, startle, look quickly between both of them, then at each other, briefly fight not to laugh, then finally burst into giggles. Robin and Steve hang back to watch and high five, celebrating their success with gleeful triumph.

Murray blinks. Alexei. Red shorts. Bare legs. Bare arms. Tight top. Fuck. Murray can barely believe his eyes. He only vaguely registers all of the teens' good natured teasing as he looks Alexei over while he continues walking closer, a bright blush rouging his skin from cheeks to chest. He knew Alexei was fit; he'd already felt his strength and the smooth, firm curves of his well-toned muscles hidden beneath his clothes, but to actually **see** them was making him woozy. Murray walks forward until they meet up, close enough to touch. Alexei's heart skips and his smile grows when Murray finally looks him in the eyes again, mock offended. 

" _How **dare** you sneak away and put on such a cute little outfit?_" Murray scolds him. Alexei feigns innocence without bothering to hide his smugness. " _You do this right before you know we must temporarily part. You make it impossible for me to look away,_ " Murray pouts. Alexei gives him a teasing look of sympathy and Murray sighs, suffering sweetly. 

" _Now you have even more motivation to return to me quickly and safely,_ " Alexei tells him. Murray grins fierecly and laughs.

" _As if I needed any more,_ " Murray softly growls. He steps closer and purrs, " _You tempt me, Aloysha._ "

" _If only we were alone,_ " Alexei says, goosebumps rising. His red, red lips curl into a sinful smirk. Murray sighs again, truly feeling magnetized and straining the limits of his willpower to keep his hands off of Alexei. He forces himself to look away to furtively scan the room for a moment. He sees the teens not so secretly watching them and his blush darkens. 

" _You're going back to my place, we decided,_ " Murray says to get things back on track, " _Jonathan is driving. Nancy and most of the kids are going too. We'll all reunite there after everything is done._ " 

Alexei smiles and says suggestively, " _Good. I like your place._ " 

Murray smiles back sadly. " _I did too,_ " he sighs. 

Alexei's face falls into disappointment and confusion.  
" _What happened to it?_ " Alexei asks. Murray heaves another sigh and tries to temper his anger.

" _The location has been compromised. I can't stay there much longer after today,_ " Murray explains bitterly, " _I -_ " he stutters, then and quietly, vulnerably offers, " _We are going to have to relocate._ " 

Alexei leans closer, their body heat blending. Murray's eyelids drop lower, nearly shut. " _We will find another secret place,_ " Alexei says quietly, " _We will be safe there together._ "

" _Yes,_ " Murray breathes. He has never wanted anything more desperately than this. They become lost in each other's eyes for a moment, silently promising to return safely to each other, then, slowly, they relucantly part. It surprises them how much it physically pains them to do.

"Okay, drive safe," Murray unsteadily says to Jonathan, who nods earnestly. 

"We'll be careful," Jonathan promises. Alexei moves to join him and Nancy and they all smile awkwardly at each other. Murray starts working up the nerve to leave them to rejoin Joyce and Jim, but Robin and Steve rush forward before he can move.

"Whoah! Wait, wait! Alexei's ours! We've adopted him," Robin announces. Nancy, Jonathan, Alexei and Murray stare at them.

"Seriously! We're driving to Dustin's radio tower, right? So if Alexei goes with us, he'll still be able to talk to you," Steve says to Murray, with a pleasantly pleading light in his eyes. Murray rocks his head uncertainly. 

"Also! Also! I know some basic Russian, so we'll be able to communicate with him," Robin adds, also offering up her best puppy dog eyes. Murray huffs and reconsiders the options. Leaving Alexei out in the open was far from his first choice but of course he wants to be able to hear Alexei's voice, to know he's safe, to have his help while infiltrating the base... and it's obvious that they've already formed a comfortable camaraderie.

Murray's nodding before he even opens his mouth again to say, "Okay, I'll ask him." Alexei is watching attentively and he smiles and tilts his head adorably when Murray turns to him. Murray sighs softly.

" _These two are inviting you to go with them to Dustin's radio tower instead, if you'd prefer. It may be more dangerous, but you'll be able to speak to me,_ " Murray says. Alexei's smile gets huge. He nods.

" _I would like to go with them,_ " Alexei says. He looks at Nancy and Jonathan apologetically and says, " _I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind._ " They smile and wave dismissively, context being enough for them to assume what he means.

"It's alright, we'll see you again soon anyway when we all meet back up at Murray's," Nancy says. Alexei smiles, likewise not comprehending her words, but understanding her tone. Jonathan helpfully hands him his things from the bench, and Alexei thanks him as he takes them. He puts everything into the duffel bag and zips it up, ready to go. Nerves tickle his belly with butterflies. 

" _Okay,_ " he sighs, giving Murray one last lingering, loving look. 

" _Okay,_ " Murray echoes weakly, returning his adoring gaze. 

"Okay, let's do this!" Steve says over-enthusiastically, doing his best to psych everyone up, including himself, 

"The faster we do it, the faster it's done, right?" 

"Yeah," Murray agrees, somewhat emboldened, "Yeah, that **is** right."

"Alright! Later, lovebirds!" Steve blows a kiss and sweeps it over everyone as he departs with Robin and Alexei to meet up with Dustin and Erica. Alexei copies Steve but with much more specific aim, striking Murray with such sudden, concentrated sweetness that he forgets to breathe. After Alexei stops staring back over his shoulder at him, Murray inhales hard. He sinks down onto the bench and bends forward, hiding his face in his hands as he struggles some more to supress the worst case scenarios that are rapidly surfacing in his mind. 

"Alexei seems cool," Jonathan says shyly, gently pulling Murray out of his mental sinkhole.

"Oh... You can see him too?" Murray jokes, deadpan.

"Yeah," Jonathan laughs dryly, then sincerely says with a smile that Murray can hear in his words, "He's totally crazy about you. I'm really glad you found someone, too." 

With his hands still pushing up his glasses, firmly covering his eyes, Murray mumbles miserably, "Thank you, Jonathan."

"Hey... Everything's going to be okay," Nancy says tenderly. After another deep breath, Murray hums wistfully, like he just woke up from a nice dream. 

"I wish it were up to you," Murray says, sounding dead tired. He finally sits back up and drops his hands to look at them. "You remember all the keys and codes?" Nancy and Jonathan nod. "Okay. Drive safe... Don't forget to lock everything back up again once you're in... and don't eat all of my food before everyone else gets there, okay? Maybe pick some stuff up from a drive-through on the way... shit - Do you need some cash?" Murray fusses until Jonathan and Nancy pull him into a hug. He shuts up and hugs them back and tries not to cry. 

Eventually Murray withdraws and Nancy and Jonathan quietly walk with him over to Joyce and Hopper who are wrapping up their own long farewells. A mild catharsis returns to Murray once again, seeing he wasn't the only one finding it so difficult to do. He was sure he would never understand the appeal of the company of children himself, but he appreciated that the two of them somehow felt no greater love. Jonathan moves closer and puts a tender hand on his mom's shoulder.

"Ready to go?" Jonathan asks softly. Joyce looks up at him and takes his hands in her own.

"Oh, honey... I'm not going with you anymore," Joyce tells him, "I have to go help Jim and Murray." 

"No. You don't!" Hopper protests with faded fire, "It's a two man operation. Two!"

"Yeah, well, change of plans," Joyce just as stubbornly insists, "Back me up, Murray. Remember Alexei said we have two options? We can turn the machine off, or we can explode it?"

"Yeah, and we wanna explode it," Murray fully agrees without hesitation. He meets Hopper's surly gaze but it's no easy task. "Joyce is right, Jim," he tells him, "This is a three-man operation. Not two."

"Yeah, three!" Joyce emphasizes. Hopper looks away and grumbles, finally conceeding. El hugs him and whispers something into his ear. He kisses her on the cheek before letting her go and standing up. 

"Fine," Hopper says, resolute, "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexei stares back over his shoulder as he walks away from Murray, who returns his gaze sadly. Alexei's entire body screams for him to stop, to turn and run back to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Please enjoy! ♡

Alexei stares back over his shoulder as he walks away from Murray, who returns his gaze sadly. Alexei's entire body screams for him to stop, to turn and run back to him. Moving away from Murray feels like stretching out an elastic band, every step a greater strain, but Alexei forces himself to keep going. He looks away finally to watch where he's headed and flushes with excitement as he reminds himself that in just a few hours, they'll be back together again and free to do as they desire... unless things go wrong. His jaw tightens and his breaths begin to burn as dreadful thoughts start to surface. He rapidly retreats into his recent memories of Murray's warm assurances to shelter him from his concerns.

Alexei is drawn back out of his own head when he group arrives at Joyce and Hopper are sitting. He soon discovers that standing still is even worse than walking away. He fidgets and his fingers twitch, seeking something to hold between them, a pen or a cigarette. It's nearly impossible to resist looking back over his shoulder again, but he knows it will be easier for both of them if he doesn't, so he stiffly focuses his attention on what's happening in front of him, and does his best to get some sense of what they're discussing.

"So how are we supposed to get all the way out to this radio tower of yours, Henderson?" Steve asks. His fists are on his hips and he's squnting playfully at Dustin, who simply grins as Hopper offers Steve the keys to the convertible. Steve slowly smiles and starts to chuckle a little as he reaches out to recieve them. His eyes dart around like he's wondering if he's being pranked.

"We'll be blind down there without your team's help," Hopper emphasizes, his fingers still clutching the keys, his grave voice landing dry and solid, "Do not fuck up." 

Steve instantly sobers. He nods earnestly, "Right. Got it."

Hopper relaxes an iota. He drops the keys fully into Steve's palm, then says, "Good. Get going."

"You can count on us, sir!" Dustin bounces up from his seat next to Hopper. He gives him a summer camp salute that the rest of his group imitates in a cascade as they all dash away.

When the fresh night air hits Steve's face and he actually sees the ride that they've been given, he tosses and catches the keys and says with refreshed verve, "Oh man, now this - this is what I'm talkin' about!"

"'Toddfather'?" Robin reads the vanity plate, mildly appalled by it.

"Oh, screw Todd!" Steve crows, "Steve's her daddy now!"

"Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?" Robin asks.

"Did he just call himself 'daddy'?" Erica says, slightly stunned but not surprised.

Alexei hears their friendly banter as if from a distance as they all spread out and surround the car. Tunnel vision draws his eyes directly to the backseat and his heart pounds. A rapid recollection of vivid memories echo through his body at the sight of it. Alexei shivers and struggles to shake it off, his face burning red.

"Hey, Alexei!" Steve says, patting the back of the passenger seat, "Come sit up here by me, big guy!" 

Alexei hears his name and sees Steve inviting him to sit up front. He heaves a huge sigh and smiles gratefully at Steve as he gets in and hugs his duffel bag. No one seems to notice how flustered he is to be back in this car again, Alexei observes, starting to relax a little. 

Steve fires up the engine, then looks back through the rearview mirror at Dustin.

"All right, where are we going?" Steve asks.

"Weathertop," Dustin answers, as if it's written on the map that way.

"Weather-what?" Steve asks, perplexed.

"Just drive," Dustin forcefully orders.

"Okay! Jesus!" Steve balks. His hands wrap around the wheel and Alexei's hit with another strong memory. As Steve obediently accelerates and the convertible roars out of the parking lot. Alexei relives that soaring feeling of being given the keys to this car, given control of his own future, given freedom of choice. Despite there being only one rational choice to make in that moment, his heart had encouraged him to make it without any doubt, to go all in with full sincerety and hope, and it had been absolutely right to have him do so. 

As overfull as Alexei's had felt in Murray's company, Alexei is now feeling just as hollow now in his absence. He has never experienced such deep loneliness before and it scares him, especially when he starts to wonder if Murray is feeling the same way.

☆☆☆☆☆

The huge door of the elevator rises and Joyce, Hopper and Murray enter the storage room, quickly surveying it. Hopper turns and takes a step toward the control panel, key card extended, but Murray jumps in front of it.

"Whoa, whoa! Wait! Before we willingly descend into certain doom, tell me; what will we do if there is a not so friendly welcoming comittee waiting for us down there?" Murray asks.

Hopper, already upset at being blocked from keeping things moving, growls. He shakes the gun he lifted from one of the soldiers in the mall at Murray, who scoffs.

"How about one that doesn't **immediately** result in murder?" Murray matches Hopper's sass and gets a facefull of hot spit sprayed in his face for it.

"Look who's talking! I seem to remember a certain someone swinging a shotgun in my face!" Hopper hisses. Murray stands stoic.

"You **know** that was just for show," Murray sighs, disapponted that Hopper would actually expect violence from him. Hopper tilts his head and his mouth in a humorless smirk that shows his suspicions run even deeper. Murray's eyelids droop as he braces himself for a low blow. The elevator door starts to shut automatically.

"Hey, I don't want us to have to shoot anyone either if we don't have to," Joyce attempts to redirect Hopper. Hopper ignores her and steps into Murray's personal space. A tremor of fear rushes up Murray's spine as he retreats against the wall, the control box digging painfully into his back. Hopper lowers his voice but he's still growling scornfully through bared teeth, "So you've suddenly gone all soft for Russians now?"

Murray breathes a short laugh, then replies lewdly, "Oh... no... just **incredibly** hard for one in particular." A sneer twitches up the ends of Hopper's moustache and he snorts humorlessly. 

"Just don't you dare forget which side you're on, **Romeo** ," Hopper warns him, jabbing a thick finger over his heart before he allows Joyce to pull him away. Murray watches them depart, then steps away from the wall and looks around the room again. The door is shut. They're sealed in. Pins and needles soon start prickling in Murray's back and he slowly resumes taking full breaths. He rubs over his chest to relieve the blunt sting Hopper had left behind. It hurts less than Hopper's words, but even those don't pain him anywhere near as much as Alexei's absence does. It's like he's both freezing and starving, and it's all concentrated deep and low in the center of his chest. Murray endures the needy ache in his core while wearily watching Joyce and Hopper bicker.

"What is wrong with you?" Joyce whispers harshly to Hopper, "You **promised!** "

"But he's making things **way** more complicated than they need to be," Hopper says a little too loudly. He glances at Murray. Murray avoids his insecure eyes. His immaturity is exhausting. Murray starts looking around the room for ideas.

"Maybe for good reason!" Joyce argues, "Hey, the gun can always be Plan B, right? But I agree that we should at least **try** to come up with something less deadly first."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Hopper goads her and he's being such an absolutely insufferable **child** that Murray's already willing to jab him again just to tell him so, but then Joyce says something so unexpected that both he and Hopper instantly defuse their tension. 

"Like maybe we can go bowling," Joyce says with a huge shrug. She gestures between the barrel standing against the nearest wall and the box cart in the corner. Hopper and Murray piece it together in their heads.

"Okay. I can try to wire the door to only open partway," Murray offers. He sucks on his teeth as he thinks some more, then asks, "What if we get a split?"

"Then I'll take care of it," Hopper says darkly.

"Hey, this is still Plan A. Don't just -" Joyce jumps back in.

"- shoot them? Why not? They'd shoot us!" Hopper protests heatedly.

"Because," Joyce replies with unfathomable patience, "If you rip a bunch of bullet holes in their uniforms, then we won't be able to wear their clothes as disguises."

Everyone is quiet for a long moment.

"Would that really work?" Hopper wonders.

"If I do all the talking... maybe," Murray says and shrugs. Hopper thinks it over then finally heaves a huge, harsh sigh of defeat. 

"Okay! Fine. We'll play nice, but first sign anything's going out of control, I'm shooting, so whatever you do, stay behind me. Got it?" Hopper asserts. Joyce and Murray nod with acceptance. Hopper eases up and says awkwardly, "Look, I understand you're not - " he hesitates as he searches for a delicate way to put it, then continues with, "Not everyone is a soldier, but those assholes down there **are**. It's seriously going to be us or them, and I'm gonna to do whatever it takes to make sure it's us." 

The room is silent for a moment as his words sink in.   
"Thank you, Jim," Murray says quietly. Joyce smiles bittersweetly and nods. 

"Yeah," Hopper uncomfortably accepts their gratitude, then sighs and says with distaste, "Okay. Let's try Plan A."

Murray moves from his spot in the corner to do a quick physical search of the room and finds a toolbox tucked back behind some cardboard boxes. He opens it up and immediately finds rubber gloves laid on top of all the tools. He sighs with relief and takes inventory of the rest of the box while he puts them on. After opening the elevator's control panel, he studies the wiring for a few minutes before carefully detatching several of the connections, then severing and stripping some of the circuits for the door's manual overrides. The door hitches a few inches up and down a few times as he works and tests the new arrangement. 

"Okay, how open do we want it?" Murray asks, finally turning back toward the banging, clanging, cursing, huffing, hissing people behind him. Panting, Joyce stands up against the handle of the cart and measures it against her body, then walks over to the door a lowers her hand a little to indicate the correct height.

"Around here," Joyce directs Murray, who nods. He touches two raw wires together and watches attentively as the door lowers, then draws them apart, stopping the door in place right where Joyce is aiming.

"Perfect," Joyce casually praises, then says as she returns to Hopper, "Now please come over here and help us with this damn barrel."

"Okay, I'll be right there," Murray chuckles, feeling a little better after having done something useful. He quickly wraps and secures the loose wires back into the panel with electric tape. He joins Joyce behind the barrel and as Hopper pulls, they both push, working together to lay it down across the cart. The barrel sloshes as it moves, landing heavily and rocking a little as the liquid resettles within. They then all roll it to the back of the cart, up against the handles, and hold it there as they maneuver the cart to the center of the elevator. 

With a collective sigh, they all straighten up and nod approvingly. Hopper walks to the control panel and waits for another nod from Joyce and Murray before he swipes the card. For a few seconds, nothing happens. Just as Murray starts to worry that he may have rewired it incorrectly, the elevator suddenly starts to plummet, and a terrible, heady relief lifts him as he feels strangely weightless from the extreme speed of their plunge. The shaft wall is a dark, deadly blur just a few inches outside of the partially open door. The sight makes him queasy. He does his best to avoid looking at it.

Hopper returns and stands behind the cart, crossing his arms over the handlebar and leaning casually over it to wait.

"Okay, so..." Joyce says restlessly, "...after we're in, we get you into the vents," she addresses Murray and he nods, following along with the review, "and you'll sneak into the electrical room and you'll find the circuit box that houses the machine's external wiring."

"Right," Murray confirms, nervous butterflies bouncing far beyond the bounds of his belly, "Then I yank those cables like I'm pulling weeds."

"And that'll set off the alarm," Joyce says.

"According to Alexei," Murray feels the fluttering feeling gather tightly around his heart when he says his name. He checks that the radio on his shoulder is still clipped securely to the strap of his tanktop as he continues, "Which should give you two an opening to retrieve the keys from the vault."

"And then we just follow the map to the observation room... turn the key..." Joyce anticipates. 

"Kaboom. We blow this sucker sky high," Murray says, minutely trembling inside and out with nerves but doing his best not to show it.

"Yeah" Joyce confirms, "and then once the rift is closed, we escape back through the vents."

"Right under their commie noses," Murray adds a little too fiercely and flashing Hopper a sharp glare as he speaks. Hopper frowns deeper.

"Then home free," Joyce concludes. 

"Uh..." Hopper utters uncertainly. 

"Oh god, just because it wasn't your plan doesn't mean it wasn't a good plan," Joyce verbally pounces. Murray sighs and steps back, his eyes rolling. He's certian this is how babysitters must often feel. 

"I didn't say it was a bad plan," Hopper defends himself.

"You made a noise," Joyce says.

"I did not make a noise," Hopper denies.

"You did too," Joyce insists, "I really think it's disrespectful."

"What is up with you and noises?" Hopper whines and Murray has had enough.

"Children! Children!" Murray shouts to shut them up, "It is a good plan. A solid B, which is laudable given the situation and time constraints. Dare I say, if it all goes right, they'll never even know we were here."

"Speaking of," Hopper gladly segways out of the argument, "You two should go keep lookout and let me know if I actually need to launch this thing on arrival or not, because I won't be able to see much from where I'm standing."

Joyce and Murray agree, then cautiously move closer toward the door and sit down against the opposite walls. Murray savors the distance and silence, his drowsy mind swiftly slipping into daydreams of living with Alexei, of doing everything together. Every single scenario he fantasizes about eventually leads to them having some sort of sex... but Murray indulges himself, letting his desires play out without hinderance because he knows Alexei wants him just as much. In his eyes and his voice and his touch, Murray can **feel** it, and he can barely wait to binge with him.

Murray becomes so lost in his thoughts that he has no idea how much time has passed before the elevator finally starts to slow down slightly and the space to Murray's right suddenly gapes. He sees an endless hallway and three soldiers standing, ready and waiting. Joyce peeps. Adrenaline spikes in Murray's veins. He turns to Hopper in speachless panic. From his and Joyce's reactions alone, Hopper is already charging. By the time Murray manages to shout, "Roll it!" and Joyce yells, "Go!", Hopper has stopped and shoved the cart forefully toward the center of the door with a beastly roar that makes Murray even shorter of breath. The cart's handle hits the door with a deafening bang and the barrel launches forward. As the empty cart rolls back toward Hopper, they hear shocked cries and a whump amidst a clanging cacophony. The elevator stops. With his gun at the ready, Hopper quickly kneels down and rolls out of the gap. 

" _Stop right ther - !_ " Murray hears a soldier start to say before there's a whack and another heavy thud. Just barely over his deafeningly thudding pulse, he makes out Hopper's growl, "Don't you dare." 

In the following silence, Murray can only imagine the intense terror the last standing soldier must be feeling if he himself is trembling at just the thought of being in his boots right now. Then the tension breaks suddenly as a burst of pops rattle and ricochet just outside the door. They hear a scuffle, a hard smack, then the thump of another body heavily hitting the floor.

"Idiot," Hopper mutters. He hisses, then says, "Okay, come on. Coast is clear." 

Stiffly, Murray and Joyce duck out of the elevator and survey the damage. Three soldiers out cold... and one sweaty and bleeding sheriff.

"Jim...!" Murray gasps, riding out a shallow wave of nausea. Joyce rushes to Hopper with immense concern but he shooes her off. 

"Are you okay?" Joyce worries. Hopper gingerly checks the wound on his arm again, grimacing.

"Would've been better if Plan B had been Plan A," Hopper grumbles pointedly. He turns his attention back to the unconcious guards and orders, "Well, come on! Hurry up and get their gear!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexei remembers how many soldiers are down there... how determined the doctors and scientists are... He hopes Murray is feeling brave... That he will be quick and clever and safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter! Is finally! Finished! × ▪ ×
> 
> Enjoy! ♡

As they race down dark, rural roads, the children chatter animatedly all around Alexei. He's sure that Dustin is occassionally giving Steve directions, but beyond that, it all becomes white noise as his throughts magnetically refocus on Murray. Alexei remembers how many soldiers are down there... how determined the doctors and scientists are... He hopes Murray is feeling brave... That he will be quick and clever and **safe**. Alexei slouches and sighs. He can hardly wait for all of this to be over. He looks forward to spending the rest of the night, and plenty of the following day, sleeping, secure at Murray's place, with everyone gathered together, guarding each other. Alexei aches for the secure serenity of it, humbled by the acceptance and protection of this huge, fascinating new family he's finding himself already becoming a member of.

Dustin gives Steve another direction. Alexei turns his head when Steve seems to disagree with what Dustin said. Dustin yells at Steve and Alexei flinches, then cringes when Steve shouts back before suddenly slinging the car to the left, taking it off of the road and into the tall grass. Whimpering, Alexei braces himself between the windshield and his seat and hug his duffel bag tightly to his chest as they rumble up a huge hill. When the convertible starts to struggle with the incline, Alexei shakes his head and laughs, " _This car was never made to do anything like this!_ "

The kids sound like they're all quickly realizing the same thing, all except for Steve, who is talking encouraginly to the car and smacking the steering wheel. The engine strains. He stubbornly shoves his foot down harder on the gas, chanting desperately at the car.

Robin speaks to Steve, then they stare each other down before Steve finally gives up. He puts the car in park and cuts the engine. Everyone scrambles out and runs for the top of the hill. Alexei keeps pace with the kids, and, much sooner than he expects, Alexei sees the tip of Dustin's radio tower poking up from beyond the horizon of the hill, and he's once again impressed by Dustin's capabilities. He gives a delighted shout of awe as they reach the crest of the hill where he's able to admire the full construction.

Alexei pushes his glasses back up from where they had slid down his nose and exclaims, " _This is amazing!_ "

"You like it?" Dustin beams between Alexei and his makeshift tower. Alexei grins at him. Robin translates and Dustin turns red as he laughs happily.

"Good!" Dustin says. He walks to the control panel and sits down at it, then sighs with proud relief, "Finally **someone** around here appreciates my work."

☆☆☆☆☆

"I still can't believe you managed to squeeze into that uniform," Murray teases Hopper. He has been driving the guards' cart down a seemingly endless hallway for a long time, mentally rehearsing lines that he can use on the next guards they encounter. 

"Shut up," Hopper hushes him under his breath, then mutters with a pout, "I'm not **that** big."

Murray shrugs lightly and smirks but lets it go. They continue on in silence, all three wondering how far they're already travelled, how long it's taken, and how far they still have left to go. The journey is surreal. Hypnotic. Unnerving. 

By the time they finally see an end to the hallway approaching, they barely believe their eyes, but Murray and Hopper both sit up a little straighter anyway. Murray's stomach swoops as a guard steps out in front of the blast door ahead. He hardly seems real either. Murray slows the cart to a stop alongside him and makes expectant eye contact.

" _Can I help?_ " the soldier inquires. 

" _Picking up,_ " Murray says, oddly relaxed from the long drive.

" _Do I know you?_ " the soldier says with slight scrutinty. Murray smiles softly, his heart fluttering but his gaze steady, which is easy with the guard having such pretty eyes.

" _New arrivals. Landed last night,_ " Murray informs him. The guard studies both he and Hopper a little more and Murray does his best to enjoy the scutiny; imagines it's Alexei who is looking him over so closely, with such keen interest. Murray's blood warms while he watches the guards' sharp gaze soften but then Hopper finally turns to look at the guard and Murray freezes. The muzzle of Hopper's gun angles past him, secretly aimed toward the guards chest. Murray knows Hopper means to be assuring, but how well prepared he is to end a life makes Murray's chest feel so tight he can barely breathe. The soldier opens his mouth to speak again and they both force themselves to remain impassive. 

" _Say goodbye to sunlight,_ " the soldier warns them wearily. Literal dark humor? Murray's grin rapidly returns. 

" _Who needs sunlight, when we have one another, comrade?_ " Murray compliments him. The twinkle in the soldiers eyes brightens and he chuckles. Murray basks in his joy. Love lightens everyone. 

" _Indeed, comrade,_ " soldier agrees with a smile just as charming as his eyes. Buzzing, Murray impishly leans a little closer. 

" _And a bottle of Stolichnaya,_ " Murray says with a sly smirk. They both break into happy, hearty laughter at the memories that resurface at the mention of that drink. Murray sits back and nudges Hopper with his elbow, urging him to join in, but Hopper remains stiff. Still laughing along with Murray, the guard steps away to open the doors for them. Murray accelerates gently and drives through.

On the other side, Murray turns a corner and parks. He and Hopper check that the door has closed again before Murray goes to the back of the cart to open the storage area.

"Why are you talking so much?" Joyce scolds him the second they see each other again. Her words sting.

"He was nice!" Murray shrugs as he helps her step out. 

"He was **nice**?" Joyce scoffs. The sting turns into a familiar simmering burn deep down in his core.

"He was a nice guard!" Murray insists.

"Yeah, I mean, we should probably invite him over after all of this is done," Hopper blatantly mocks him. Murray seethes silently.

"Yeah, I can bake him a casserole," Joyce joins in, and Murray clenches his teeth, quickly striding away ahead of them both. The sooner he gets into the vents, the sooner he'll be away from their insensitive, immature bullying.

"Get a six-pack, have some laughs," Hopper continues, "You know, have a drink."

They all ascend a small staircase and enter a bright room. Clear columns filled with cylinders all containing a glowing, green liquid surround them. Murray couches down and growls quietly as he lifts a central floor panel. He looks down into the air duct and suddenly starts to have some serious qualms about putting himself into it now that the entrance to the metal maze was actually there in front of him. 

"Ugh. Anyone wanna trade jobs?" Murray complains, removing his hat and slapping it down onto the floor. As if in response, the radio on hia shoulder hums to life.

"Bald Eagle, do you copy?" Dustin's voice comes through with astounding clarity, "Bald Eagle, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop, do you copy?"

"Yes, I copy," Murray acknowledges through a profoundly sarcastic smile. Within, he writhes with awkward indignation. 

"Call sign?" Dustin replies. Murray breathes shallowly and once again longs for his impending, isolating escape into the air ducts. His eyes roll and he scoffs, "Bald Eagle."

"Please repeat," Dustin says. Murray's grip on his exasperation slips.

"Bald Eagle. This is Bald Eagle!" Murray snaps, burning from head to toe with humiliation.

"Copy that," Dustin laughs, "Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What's your 20?"

"We reached the vent. I'll call you when I need you," Murray says, barely back in control of his temper, "Until then; silence."

"But Alexei wants to say hi," Dustin says with a grin. Murray's heart leaps.

" _Hello?_ " Alexei says. The tight, painful heat searing through Murray immediately melts into soothing warmth.

" _Hello,_ " Murray sighs with a small sideways smile.

" _Murray... I was wondering... When we get back to your place, where will I sleep?_ " Alexei asks. Murray smiles slowly, then softly answers, " _Wherever you want, my dear._ "

" _May I sleep with you?_ " Alexei requests. Murray supresses a happy hum, heating from head to toe.

" _Yes, please, Aloysha,_ " Murray purrs, " _I can hardly wait._ "

" _Go on then, my teddy bear,_ " Alexei encourages him, " _and be brave,_ " Murray chuckles.

" _For you, of course I will,_ " Murray says, then sighs soberly. "Alright. Seriously now; I'm going silent."

A mere moment after Murray releases his hold on the radio, Hopper digs back into him, "So was **all** of that flirting? Or did you guys actually discuss anything helpful?" 

Now fully immunized against the sting of his teasing, Murray stares Hopper down and informs him, "It was **all** flirting, and it was **all** helpful." Hopper quirks his head, slowly attempting to decipher his meaning as Murray lowers himself down into the vent with a groan of effort. 

Before he leaves them alone, Murray turns back to the children and says, "Remember, if anyone says anything, just -"

"Smile and nod," they finish. Murray gives them a tight, mildy proud smile.

"Good luck," Murray says sincerely. He gives them each a final, fond look, then ducks down onto all fours. The cold, stiff metal presses back against his hands and knees and he groans again, already anxious about how much pain he'll soon be in. The duct darkens as Hopper fits the floor panel back into place above him. Murray clicks on the flashlight strapped to his shoulder, breathes in a deep, bracing breath, then begins crawling.

☆☆☆☆☆

" _Thank you,_ " Alexei says as he returns the radio to Dustin, who nods as he takes it back.

Alexei wonders why Murray had raised his voice earlier, but he'd rather ask Murray about it than Dustin. He watches as Robin tells Dustin how to say 'you're welcome' and Dustin smiles and attempts it adorably. Alexei nods back and grins. These kids are so smart... so strong and kind. Words aren't enough in any language for him to adequately express his gratitude, so he keeps quiet and simply smiles back whenever their glances meet. 

They wait on the hill in the warm summer night, keeping the mood as light as they can with such monumental stress weighing so heavily on all them. Murray briefly radios for directions every few minutes, and the sound of his voice gives Alexei goosebumps every time he hears it again. With each call, Alexei's need to hear him in person again grows. He needs to feel his throat and chest rumble as he speaks, to have his hot breath on his skin... 

Alexei shivers and rapidly refocuses himself, turning his attention to the makeshift antenna. He scoots closer to observe the details of its construction. The longer he studies it, the more he wishes he had his sketchbook with him... but it's in his locker, and everything in the base is now forfeit. Alexei slowly goes over each of his items in his mind, relived to find that he won't miss any of it. He had already left most of his possessions behind in Russia, and all the items that he had owned in the lab had been strictly used only for work. He no longer needs or wants any of it. He can now obtain a fresh, new sketchbook, to fill with anything he wants... and he can have pens in different colors, he suddenly realizes, a giddy grin spreading across his face. Any color... every color! Alexei's pulse picks up again. He takes a few calming breaths, then looks around to check on what the kids are all up to.

The light pollution from the town is hazy enough out here to allow for some stargazing, and the young group of friends are pointing out to each other all of the constellations that they can spot. Alexei joins in, learning the patterns and their English names until everyone is startled once again by Murray's voice cutting in from the radio, "Scoops Troop, this is... hm..." 

Dustin lifts the speaker expectantly.

"...Bald Eagle. I've reached another junction," Murray plays along with his code name with somewhat less reluctance than before.

"This is what?" Dustin checks with Erica.

"The fourth junction," Erica provides.

"Alright, so if memory serves, this is right after the My Little Pony thesis," Dustin reminds both her and himself.

"We went left, so he has to go right," Erica says with certainty.

"Right," Dustin agrees, "Fly right, Bald Eagle. Fly right."

"Rodger that, flying right," Murray acknowledges. The radio goes silent again and Alexei releases his held breath, once again relived to hear proof that Murray is still alive and moving.

"What's the My Little Pony thesis?" Robin asks.

"Don't get him started," Erica warns her.

"Get him started? Just tell me," Robin presses playfully.

"Hey, guys?" Steve says uncomfortably. 

Sudden dread drops heavily over all of them. They look and find Steve a few feet away from them, standing eerily still and staring into the distance. They rush over to stand by him and see what he's seeing; the lights in the mall, the entire mall, and in a wide radius of buildings surrounding it, are violently flickering. Dustin bolts back to the radio.

"Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? Over!" Dustin begins to call incessantly, his voice rising and breaking in desperate urgency. Alexei can hear him repeating certain phrases, carrying on so loudly and for so long that Alexei soon begins to feel breathless just from listening to him. After over a minute with no response, Steve runs down the hill, back toward the car. 

"Where are you going?" Erica shouts after him. 

"To get them the hell outta there!" Steve shouts back, "Stay here, contact the others!"

"Shit," Robin spits, then chases after Steve. Alexei fidgets as his rudimentary translator dashes away. 

"Wait! Robin!" Dustin shouts. Robin pauses and turns back around and Alexei feels a small lift of hope. 

"Stay in touch," Dustin says as he tosses her a walkie talkie. 

Robin catches it and nods, "Got it."

Alexei tensely watches Robin disappear down the hill. This monster... If it's actually real, those two are incredibly brave to be racing toward it so boldly. Discomfort squirms in his guts and Alexei moves to sit closer to Erica and Dustin. 

Restless, Dustin radios, "Bald Eagle, this is Scoops Troop. What's your 20?"

"I told you, radio silence!" Murray hisses, sounding somewhat short of breath. Alexei huddles even closer with the kids as they all lean in around the radio.

"Yeah, but we have a problem!" Dustin tells him. The instant Dustin lets up on the button, Hopper's voice cuts in with quiet intensity.

"What kind of problem?"

Dustin takes a deep breath, delivers the bad news, then  
concludes with, "We seriously need to speed this up."

☆☆☆☆☆

"Crawl faster, Bald Eagle," Hopper demands, each overennunciated word landing like a stone punch to Murray's gut. While reeling through that double blow of anxiety and indignation, Murray hears Dustin quickly give him the last few directions and he mentally clings to them.

"Copy that," Murray tersely pants. He's sore and burning up, his sweat soaking through the thick fabric of the uniform. His glasses keep slipping. His back aches and his hands and knees are numb from impacting the metal, which stabs deep, sharp pangs up his arms and legs with every movement. Despite his immense discomfort, Murray still pushes himself to move faster. Turning corners makes him dizzy. He's so, so thirsty. He has to keep going. This will all be **more** than worth it when it's all over... when he's drowning in ice cold Slurpee with Alexei. Murray grins deliriously and rushes on, soon surprising himself by reaching the end of the path sooner than he had expected to. 

Panting, Murray rears up and cautiously cracks the floor hatch open. He peers out into an empty room. With a massive sigh, he swings the hatch fully open and rests his arms on the floor, stretching his sore spine and drinking in the slightly less stale air. 

"Bald Eagle has landed. Repeat," Murray reports breathlessly, without fuss, "Bald Eagle has landed."

"Copy that, Bald Eagle. Great flying," Dustin congratulates him. Murray hoists himself up and out of the vent, then looks the room over again as he pulls Alexei's sketches out of his pocket and unfolds them.

"Okay," Murray murmurs as he begins to orient himself to the room.

"Come on, how much longer?" Hopper hurries him. Murray fumbles with the radio in his haste to shut him up.

"I don't know, I've never done this before," Murray replies testily. This would all go so much faster with fewer pointless interruptions. Murray refocuses on the map and it starts to click in his mind.

"Okay," Murray says again as he turns the pages the right way around; matching the layout to his surroundings. He spots the electrical cabinet and a fresh rush of energy surges through him. 

"Okay, okay!" Murray says with fierce triumph as he rushes over to the panel. He pops it open, revealing the array of connected circuits. His hand falls back down onto the radio on his shoulder.

"Get ready, lovebirds, you're almost up to bat!" Murray warns Joyce and Hopper. As soon as he receives Hopper's confirmation, Murray begins to roughly yank the thick wires out of their sockets one by one, each sparking white hot electricity as its connection is severed. After the third disconnection, a siren begins to scream. Murray grits his teeth and tugs faster, fiercer, killing the power to this damned thing and doing it all for Alexei. Personally pulling the plug on the only thing still keeping them apart. It was scary how insignificant saving the rest of the world seemed to him in this moment. Murray releases a low, throaty growl as he finishes tearing the last circuit apart. Still fired up, he turns and stalks toward the nearest steam valve. 

"Murray," Hopper's voice comes through Murray's radio, his temper barely restrained, "Your goddamn code... is wrong." Murray stops cold.

"What? Are you sure?" Murray asks, diffused and bewildered. 

"Yeah, I'm sure," Hopper growls.

"Well, I - I suppose it could be wrong," Murray stutters, his stomach sinking.

"How could it be wrong?" Hopper asks, his patience now audibly hair thin.

"The code is a number, a famous number," Murray explains, starting to shake with shame, "Planck's Constant. I - I thought I knew it..."

☆☆☆☆☆

"Planck's Constant," Dustin says aloud. Alexei's eyebrows shoot up.

"Plank's Constant?" Alexei repeats.

"Yeah?" Dustin says, turning to him. Through the radio, Alexei hears Murray and Hopper calling his name and Alexei shakes his head. He reaches for the radio and Dustin hands it over. 

" _Murray, you told me you knew it,_ " Alexei says, cutting through the heated chatter. After a few seconds of silence, Murray replies abashedly, " _I thought I did._ "

" _Tell me, please,_ " Alexei requests. Murray recites the number he recalled and Alexei tisks softly.

" _So close,_ " Alexei says, " _However, that 8 is a 7._ " 

"Change the 8 to a 7," Murray rapidly relays, then murmurs, " _A lucky number 7. Thank you, Alexei... I don't know why I remembered it incorrectly._ "

" _Now you'll never forget,_ " Alexei responds with an edge of a smirk. Murray huffs a deprecating laugh.

" _That is certain,_ " Murray agrees. 

"Hey, shut up!" Hopper cuts in, "We have the keys. Get back to work!"

"Copy that," Murray laughs. He returns his attention to the valves, twisting them open to vent swift, dense streams of searing steam out into the room, slowly turning it into a sort of sauna. Murray sweats and sighs and wonders how much Slurpee he would actually need to buy in order to fully flood his bathtub...  
Rapid, heavy footfalls from thr adjacent room catch Murray's attention. He warily eyes the door.

"Murray, you all set down there?" Hopper asks.

"All set, but I've got some company which I'd love you to obliterate," Murray replies tensely. 

"Will do. Hang tight," Hopper tells him. 

With his heart thumping hard, Murray crouches and quietly backs away from the door, his mind darting through multiple escape plans. He presses himself against the nearest wall, behind a power bank big enough to hide him from direct view of the door. For a dreadful moment, his gaze locks onto the open floor panel. His sweat chills as he stares at the blatantly wide open hole he came in through before making the snap decision to risk running back into it. His body resists his urgent movements every step of the way but he forces himself inside the vent. With shaking hands, he swings the panel shut, then slides himself back down the tunnel the way he came, out of sight of the room. Stiffly, he sinks down onto his stomach and tries to slow his breathing, stop his shaking, so he can listen for soldiers. 

Murray wraps his arms around his head, forcing his glasses up onto his forehead, and takes himself back to the convertable, back to Alexei resting loose and heavy upon him, snuggled in his arms. Remembers his even breaths, his strong heartbeat, his warm scent and his small, soft, satisfied sounds. Slowly, slowly, Murray feels himself relaxing. His closed eyes prickle with tears and he holds nothing back, lets his stress spill out into his sleeves. 

Silently sobbing, Murray lies still and waits. The moments stretch out and he hears nothing from the other room beyond layers of hissing steam. The familiar fog of suspicion sinks deep into his skin and he starts to rise back up, wiping the wetness from his face with one hand. 

No soldiers. No Hopper. Neither made it this far.

Something's wrong.

Barely aware of his body, Murray moves back out of the vent and into the room, taking the time to close the hatch behind him. He sneaks along the wall over to the door, then peeks through the window into the adjacent room; the one containing "The Key". All he can see is indecipherable machinery cut with deep darkness cast by a blindingly bright light, the source of which is out of view. It's flashing fitfully, almost pulsing, but the beats are cut through by violently shifting shadows. 

Overwhelmed, Murray turns away. He stares blankly at the nearest steam of steam. His mind slogs as he wonders what he should do. Who he should call. What he should say.

☆☆☆☆☆

On the hill, Erika, Dustin, and Alexei remain sharply at attention around the radio. 

"Dustin! We're out of time!" Steve screams through a cacophony so deafening that it spikes into screeching static through the speaker. Alexei's heart skips, but the concentrated intensity of Dustin and Erika's focus keeps his panic in check.

"Hurry! Close it now!" Dustin calls rapidly to Hopper, Joyce and Murray's channel, "Close it now! Close it!" 

☆☆☆☆☆

Murray jumps at the sudden burst of sound from his speaker. Panting, he gazes again through the window, seeking some sign of success. 

"Come on, you crazy kids; you can do this," Murray hisses forcefully under his breath, willing them on with fierce desperation.

Moments later, the rotary rhythm of the key stutters and its lights begin to burn and burst. Murray whips away and ducks down, shutting his stinging eyes, but the brightness beyond the door grows so intense it permeates his eyelids. Murray tucks himself into a tight ball on the floor, hiding from the immense onslaught of unleashed energy, vibrating with fear and elation.

Soon Murray senses the light recede and an almost tangible tide of darkness rises in its place. Murray stiffly rises back up to his feet, his joints burning. He ignores the pain. They can't slow down; they still have to stick the landing. 

Murray watches once more through the window for any sign of danger, then tests the doorknob with the back of his hand. Hot but not burning. He opens the door quickly and steps into the room, his head swinging across the scene, searching for shadows he knows and he sees one. Only one.

Joyce is rushing down the steel stairs and Murray meets her halfway, taking her by the arms and spinning her to face him. 

"Jim! Where's Jim?" Murray asks, supressing his suspicions. Joyce sobs. She drifts in his gentle hold and Murray begins to loose his balance as well. Joyce gasps, snapping Murray back to his senses. She's a deer in the headlights, staring up and over his shoulder. He turns and sees a flood of soldiers filling the observation room. 

Joyce and Murray's hands connect at once and they flee, practically flying down the stairs as Murray leads Joyce down to the power room. Joyce slams the door shut behind them and Murray releases her hand to run ahead and lift the hatch for her.

"Come on, come on!" Murray breathes as she clambors in. The instant she's out of sight, he slides in and sinks down, shutting the hatch as he goes. He looks down the tunnel and sees Joyce is crawling fast; he already has plenty of room to start following without it being awkward. As he sets his pace to keep up with her and sighs for that small relief before the stress of racing through the route back starts to sink into his bones.

☆☆☆☆☆

"Scoops Troop, this is Bald Eagle," Murray calls in, breathless, pained. Alexei pickles all over with nerves, his sweat running cold. He holds his breath along with Erika and Dustin.

"Mission fucking accomplished," Murray gasps, "Returning to roost. Please direct. Over."

Dustin and Erika deflate in relief. Dustin delivers the first few turns to take, and, recognizing the delivery of Dustin giving directions, Alexei slowly starts to release his breath as well. Dustin lowers the speaker, then turns to him with a tired smile and says, "They did it! They're coming back. Everything's gonna be ok." The rest of Alexei's exhalation rushes out all at once. 

"He can't understand what you're saying," Erika says to Dustin. Dustin glances at her.

"No but I think he gets it," Dustin replies with a shrug.

"Ok?" Alexei asks with cautious hope rising in his worried eyes. Dustin chuckles and nods, his curls bouncing. 

"Yeah! Yeah, they're ok," Dustin says. Alexei smiles back reservedly. Until Alexei actually sees them all again, it's not **really** ok. 

"What the hell...?" Erika wonders, her voice squeaking as he perks up and searches the horizon. Dustin and Alexei squint up at the sky and a moment later they all find a fleet of helicopters roaring by above them.

"Soldiers..." Dustin says. They watch as the helicopters shink into the distance and swarm the mall. Alexei wishes his relief would to outweigh his worry, but the sight does little to soothe him. 

☆☆☆☆☆

Joyce and Murray rush through the vents, racing to return to safety. With her hands and knees fresh for the journey and having more room to maneuver, Joyce easily keeps well ahead of Murray, who continues to quietly relay directions from Dustin every few junctions. He moves stiffly, sticky, sweaty, sore. Burning. Aching to the core of his bones. His vision slowly spins. He imagines crushing bags and bags of ice into a soft, chill slush... drinking some, crunching it... scooping and syruping more for Alexei... bathing in the rest together...

Hands on his shoulders stop Murray and he stares dizzily ahead. Joyce's big eyes hold onto his until they focus. Murray blinks. His breaths are heavy.

"You're dehydrated," Joyce says. Murray draws back and sees Joyce has turned around and is sitting down, hunched forward in fron of him. 

"Oh yeah," Murray weakly agrees. He looks over Joyce's shoulder and sees the dappled pattern of florescent light falling through a grate. He licks his dry lips, "Is this it?"

Joyce nods. Murray racing pulse leaps higher and he nearly swoons but he clings to consciousness and steadies himself. 

"Let me go first.. so I can help you.. get out," Murray pants. Watching him with worry, Joyce backs up past the grate and lets him lift it. He slowly stands up and is surrounded once again by the unreal green glow from hundreds of clear chemical containers. No one's around, so he hefts himself out, immediately reaching back down for Joyce to help lift her up and get her back onto her feet. 

"You all right?" Murray asks. She nods, still staring at him with concern. She opens her mouth to speak but at that instant, a growing crowd of heavy footsteps echo within the room. She and Murray turn and find a large team of American soldiers all aiming their guns at them. 

"Hands up!" the soldiers order. Joyce and Murray immediately lift their hands... and eyebrows when they remember what they're wearing. 

"Don't shoot! American! We're Americans! Americans!" Murray yells, utterly wracked with anxiety. His vision tunnels. Not like this. Not right now... so close...

The soldiers lower their weapons. Two approach them while the rest move on past them, deeper into the facility. Murray's ears ring. He sways on his feet.

"We will escort you out. Do you have ID?" one soldier asks. The other starts to lead the way out and they follow. Murray's legs wobble as he walks. He and Joyce dig out their wallets and hand their driver's licences to the soldier who requested them. He checks their information, then returns the cards and says, "Expect to be questioned once you're returned to reality."

"Of course," Murray sighs softly, his eyes reflexively rolling a little. He stuffs his wallet into a more convenient pocket now that it's no longer a secret. The cart they rode in on is still where he parked it and to his relief, they all load into it; he and a soldier in the back, Joyce and the other in the seats.

The blast door is wide open. Murray's blood chills before they even pass the guard station, but he sees no sign of the guard anywhere around it. He breathes again and keeps his mouth shut as their smooth ride down the hallway progresses. In mere moments, his exhaustion drags him down into a slump and his eyes sink heavily shut.


End file.
